The Threepenny Opera
The Threepenny Opera • 1h 50m
Directed by G.W. Pabst • 1931 • Germany
Starring Rudolf Forster, Carola Neher, Reinhold Schünzel
The sly melodies of composer Kurt Weill and the daring of dramatist Bertolt Brecht come together on-screen under the direction of German auteur G. W. Pabst (PANDORA’S BOX) in this classic adaptation of the Weimar-era theatrical sensation. Set in the impoverished back alleys of Victorian London, THE THREEPENNY OPERA follows underworld antihero Mackie Messer (a.k.a. Mack the Knife) as he tries to woo Polly Peachum and elude the authorities. With its palpable evocation of corruption and dread, set to Weill’s irresistible score, THE THREEPENNY OPERA remains a benchmark of early sound cinema. It is presented here in both its celebrated German and rare French versions.
Up Next in The Threepenny Opera
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Fritz Rasp and Ernst Busch on THE THR...
Actors Fritz Rasp and Ernst Busch, who play Peachum and the street singer in THE THREEPENNY OPERA, filmed this introduction to the film in 1956, for its East German rerelease.
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Brecht vs. Pabst
This new documentary traces the trajectory of THE THREEPENNY OPERA from stage to film to the bitter lawsuit between Bertolt Brecht and the film’s producers. It features interviews with Brecht translator and scholar Eric Bentley, G. W. Pabst scholar Jan-Christopher Horak, Kurt Weill Foundation dir...
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The Casparius Photos
After the runaway success of the original, 1928 stage production of THE THREEPENNY OPERA, public anticipation was high for Nero Film’s adaptation. Renowned photographer Hans Casparius was given access to the set, where he shot these stunning behind-the-scenes images. They were annotated in 2007 b...
