The Bat (1937)
Die Fledermaus
The delightful Johann Strauss comic opera Die Fledermaus was mercilessly lampooned in this truly bizarre production. For starters, a framing device has been added: After appearing in 300 consecutive appearances of Fledermaus (which translates as The Bat) the lead tenor (Georg Alexander) imagines that he's seeing bats everywhere. Driven a bit over the edge by all this, he falls asleep and has a nightmare about the opera, with a group of non-singers cast in the leading roles. The original libretto about romantic assignations, political imprisonments and mistaken identity is burlesqued to the hilt: at one point, the hero finds out that his prison cell is surrounded by rubber tubes!
- Date of release
- 1937-10-30
- TMDB
- 4.2 / 10 (4)
- Runtime
- 1h 43m
- Genres
- Comedy
- Director
- Paul Verhoeven, Hans H. Zerlett
Casting
- Lída Baarová — Maria Weigel / Rosalinde
- Hans Söhnker — Kammersänger Hans Weigel / Eisenstein
- Friedl Czepa — Hanni / Adele
- Jola Jobst — Berta / Ida
- Georg Alexander — Staatsanwalt Wentin / Frank
- Robert Dorsay — Chauffeur Franz / Alfred
- Hans Moser — Hans Moser
- Harald Paulsen — Rechtsanwalt Dr. Rommel / Dr.Falke
- Karl Stepanek — Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
- Hans Stiebner — Kapellmeister
- Otto Graf — Rundfunkreporter
- Albert Ihle — Präsident
Recommended
- A Night at the Opera 1935 · ★ 7.4
- Fun with Dick and Jane 1977 · ★ 6.6
- Gabriel Iglesias: I'm Sorry for What I Said When I Was Hungry 2016 · ★ 7.1
- Hard to Die 1990 · ★ 6.0
- Thunderstruck 2012 · ★ 6.2
- Kokowääh 2 2013 · ★ 6.0
- Louis C.K.: Ridiculous 2026 · ★ 6.1
- Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer 2023 · ★ 6.9
- Die Hart 2023 · ★ 5.9
- Cold Feet 2018 · ★ 6.6
- Malibu Rescue: The Next Wave 2020 · ★ 6.2
- Die, Mommie, Die! 2003 · ★ 6.6