Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Song (2001) User Reviews

Dietrich Comes Home

[richard-mason · 8/10 · 1 November 2002]

It's far from the first documentary about Dietrich, but as far as I know, this is the first to tell her story from a specifically German point of view. It's how she viewed her homeland, especially during the long years abroad, that is the prism this film uses to look at the familiar material.

However, not all of the material is familiar -- there are a lot of home movies not seen before (the advantage of having your grandson as the film maker), and Dietrich's daughter (mother of the film maker) is by far the most revealing Talking Head.

Dietrich's anti- Nazi efforts during the Second World War, fuelled by her passion for French Freedom Fighter Jean Gabin as much as patriotism, form a central part of the narrative, along with her conflicting emotions over helping the Allied war effort while her mother was still in Berlin.

A new take on a well-known story, and well worth a visit

Falling in love again

[blanche-2 · 8/10 · 15 January 2006]

This documentary, made by her grandson, focuses on the fabulous Marlene Dietrich's contributions during World War II and the way she was viewed by Germans and the rest of the world due to her activities during that time. These include her becoming an American citizen and entertaining American soldiers despite German efforts to get her back in Berlin and supportive of her own country's war efforts. According to Maria Riva's fascinating biography of her mother, one of Dietrich's main reasons for going overseas as a performer during the war was to reunite with her lover, French film star Jean Gabin. However, it's apparent that the artist soon fell in love with the soldiers and became much more than part of a traveling show. She donned fatigues, she sat and talked with them, flirted with them, sang with them, and visited them in hospitals. For the rest of her life, veterans were known to her as "my boys" when they flocked to see her in Las Vegas, Israel, or wherever she performed. Her experience was summed up in an antiwar song that was part of her concerts, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone?" The documentary goes into Dietrich's early career in Berlin and just touches on her Hollywood success. There are interviews with her daughter, friends, and historians throughout, and the documentary is peppered with home movies, interview footage, and performances.

It's a much less cynical look at Dietrich than is found in Riva's book, where, for instance, she describes her mother telling everyone at one point that she was going to Germany to get her sister out of Bergen-Belson, failing to mention that it was the town of Bergen-Belsen and not the concentration camp. The documentary also stays out of most of Dietrich's personal life, which is covered in great detail in her biography. It would all be superfluous here. This is the story of a great icon, her roots, and how the watershed experience of World War II changed her art.

Marlene Dietrich: Her Own Screenplay

[marcin_kukuczka · 8/10 · 27 December 2011]

No matter what sort of personality a documentary develops, there should be a primary goal: make the content address both intellect and heart - something that broadens our knowledge about a person and the popularity of a person. This documentary directed by David Riva, the celebrity's grandson, succeeds in this task to a great extent. Marlene Dietrich, one of the greatest stars of cinema, a German born actress who won the hearts of world audiences is introduced to us in a heartfelt manner. In what way does she still mesmerize us? Not merely as a movie star but as a person who proved to the world the existence of another side of Germany and another voice of people within the monstrous times.

Although many of the star's fans refer to Maximilian Schell's unique MARLENE as a supreme documentary, I tend to say that this one is equally important and interesting to consider because of significant aspects developed. While MARLENE highlights Maximilian Schell's meeting with the aging, reluctant star and may sometimes occur restricted to Marlene's greatest fans (due to its momentary chaos), MARLENE DIETRICH: HER OWN SONG becomes a clear and an insightful consideration of her personality, her own life, her own 'song,' her own 'screenplay.' This is not so much a documentary about a movie star, about her roles, this is a documentary about the person she truly was: no 'goddess of the screen' cold and unavailable but a woman who did not hesitate to give something of herself to others, to console the soldiers, help them stop the cruel time for a while, supply them with entertainment within the horror of war and perform for them even in the hardest circumstances; a woman who was not afraid to address the public, her public she loved. And that is what I like about this documentary: it focuses on the broader consideration of Ms Dietrich's personality and not so much on her disguises, masks people wear when they are not themselves.

The people being interviewed either knew Marlene personally being her own family or worked with her during her Hollywood career. They supply us with some absorbing pieces of information that we would not find elsewhere. I mean, in particular, her own daughter Maria Riva whose memories are filled with undeniable appreciation of her mother as a person and Hildegard Knef, actress, Marlene's lifelong friend. A great deal of time is dedicated to her relationship with the actor Jean Gabin and his biographer Andre Brunelin also reveals specific facts helpful for Ms Dietrich's fans. The content highlights WWII times, which address the very core of Ms Dietrich and her true character revealed in those times. She did not accept the reality of war, she did not talk for countries but for the people, simple soldiers. I think that this aspect is most memorable about her being most humane and appealing to our emotions. Her songs become symbolic in this context.

Another plus of the documentary is the very clear presentation of the celebrity's background, her upbringing, her youth in the Berlin of the 1920s and the influence of Josef Von Sternberg, indeed an iconic 'persona' in her life. The dawn of her career at Ufa and the first great role in DER BLAUE ENGEL are discussed by Nicholas Von Sternberg, the son of the director who considerably influenced the way the Berlin's 'Maedel' (maid) later became. The archive test footage of 1929 appears to be one of many surprises here. Besides, we find some convincing references to the roles of the films she played in and the reactions in the society (particularly MOROCCO). It is a pity that her post war career is not discussed in more details with exception of JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961). There is no mention of such an important director as Alfred Hitchcock with whom Marlene worked on STAGE FRIGHT. He referred to her in his memorable words: "She is a professional"

As a Pole, I must add a note about Marlene in Poland. It is a touching moment to see the footage of her performance in Warsaw in 1966 and see her thank the Polish nation for their courage during WWII. Thank you, Marlene!

"Sag Mir Wo Die Blumen Sind..." (Tell me where the flowers are) has become one of her most popular songs addressing our true feelings without unnecessary sentiments. It has become an anti war song, a song that raises a loud voice against its cruelty and horror. This was perhaps the most genuine feeling that Marlene left to us in her long life. 'Where are the flowers?' she asked. Was it just a coincidence that there was a flower market in her hometown on the day she came back home for good? Or a little gift from destiny for the screenplay she wrote with her own life?

LILI MARLENE

[caburns90 · 10/10 · 9 November 2002]

This moving film charts the life of an icon from birth to death. It is interspersed with a comments by her daughter, friends and colleagues, and gruelling documentary footage. After her success in The Blue Angel, Dietrich becomes an emancipated femme fatale, actress and singer. In the 1930s, she flees Berlin to join the German-Jewish exiles in America and protest against anti-Semitism and the Third Reich. Her fluctuating roles in movies are dependent on the political climate of the times. In the 1940s, she risks her life to entertain thousands of troops on the front-line and is devastated when she witnesses the Belsen atrocities. Sixteen years after the war, she returns to Berlin on a concert tour to an ambiguous reception: she is attacked by the press as a traitor and worshipped by fans. An ageing star in Israel, she wins an ovation for her poignant performance of Lili Marlene. I highly recommend this haunting film which is directed by the star's grandson.

Marlene Dietrich

[berberian00-276-69085 · 10/10 · 23 May 2013]

This is the Movie I have waited for. Marlene Dietrich seems to be the equivalent of a greatest movie star in the female role. Something like Charlie Chaplin for the male audience. The 21st century should hardly be able to produce a star like her. No offence to Hollywood. Some of here lifetime stanzas are also shattering. I watched "Morocco" first time and was stunned - such a vivid movie and that in year 1930. Cary Cooper was also perfect, in fact, he shaped Marlene for her future performances. I don't agree with critique that she has bad movies. She is 100% quality. In her later life she show a little twitter in her relationship with Jean Gabin. The guy has a "workers" mentality and doesn't really deserve her. Anyway, women were never party to men and maybe she really believed they have a match. Still further she made appearances that I saw for first time in this footage. Was she really running somewhere that she so often fall? So, finally how is it possible no one to attend her funeral when she made so much for Hollywood. Thank You.

A nod to a fascinating personality

[baunacholi-86159 · 8/10 · 16 August 2022]

Maybe u know already some things about one of the biggest icons in movie history. But u also might learn some of the heartbreaking and rich aspects of her life. This extraordinary documentary, filled with interviews of close persons and family, gave a more holistic and more nuanced pic of the grand Marlene Dietrich. It focuses more at her time of the WW instead of the glamour side which was so unexpected. A nod in deed to what she achieved, stood up for and reminds us on.

Documentary about Marlene DIETRICH

[ZeddaZogenau · 9/10 · 8 March 2024]

Documentary worth seeing from 2001, filmed by grandson J. David Riva (ACADEMY AWARD nomination in 1986 for THE COLOR PURPLE) about his grandmother Marlene Dietrich (1901-1992) and her involvement in American troop support during the Second World War.

In addition to interesting archive footage, there are contemporary witnesses such as GERMAN FILM AWARD winner Hildegard Knef (shortly before her death in February 2002), Rosemary Clooney (George Clooney's aunt), Burt Bacharach, ACADEMY AWARD winner Volker Schlöndorff (1980 for THE TIN DRUM) and Marlene's daughter Maria Riva (*1925) to speak.

It beautifully highlights what Marlene Dietrich (ACADEMY AWARD nomination in 1931 for MOROCCO) achieved during the years of the war and how close her connection to the veterans of the World War continued to be. Only Marlene Dietrich, who had consistently fought the National Socialist regime from the start, was able to be allowed to sing in German again in Israel with the permission of the audience.

It's great that this wonderful actress and singer from Berlin existed!