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Um eine Nasenlänge (1931)
 

 
  


 


Country: Germany
Language: German
Media: Black/White
Sound: Mono
Duration: 96 minutes
Length: 2620 meters

 

 


 

 


On August 25th 1931, the Censors (Filmprüfstelle Berlin) disallow this film  for viewing by "the youth" (document:  B.29678, 9 Akte 2620 m).

Appealed, this decision is upheld on August 9th 1931 (document: 29773).

Finally, on September 17th 1931, the Chief Censors (Oberprüfstelle)  over-turn the initial decision, leaving the film free for projection before all audiences.

The reason cited for the Chief Censors'  decision is: "The film portrays a "grotesque", partially because one can suppose that young persons viewing this film will be far more interested in the six day race than in the relationships between the leading characters. Nonetheless, this can be characterized as a borderline case. Further, so that the viewer isn't lead to question why Lachmeier in the third act is afraid to come too late, the title Dear Heaven, I'll Probably Come too Late is forbidden" (O.3061, 9 Akte 2620 m: see Pg. 1; see Pg. 2).

The premier showing takes place on August 28th 1931 in Berlin at the Titania-Palast and the Primus-Palast.

The newspaper delivery boy Hans Dampf is a poor "sThe newspaper delivery boy Hans Dampf is a poor "schnook." Nothing he undertakes succeeds, he always runs behind by a nose's length. For example, he doesn't have a bicycle, so he always arrives too late with his newspapers. But that day luck is with him and, ecstatic, he gets hold of an old tandem bike. Then, while he's still in the newspaper's loading yard, it falls apart.

While he tries to repair it, his old friend and colleague, Renz, drives up in a car for an interview at the newspaper. Renz has succeeded in becoming a world champion bicycle racer.

The two old friends greet each other warmly. Renz gives Dampf a thick stack of dollar bills. What a happy day! Now he can buy new clothes.

Dampf then makes the acquaintance of a nice young girl, Lilly, who introduces herself as a dancer.

In fact, Lilly has found Dampf's lost wallet; but because Renz's business card is in it, she thinks that it belongs to him and mistakes Dampf for Renz. A misimpression that he doesn't correct because the girl appeals to him and he fears that he won't be successful with her if she knows he's only a newspaper delivery boy.

Lilly is so impressed by her encounter with Dampf whoLilly is so impressed by her encounter with Dampf whom she takes for a champion bicycle racer that she breaks up with her boyfriend, Teddy the Mixer.

Renz's manager, Lachmeier is distraught because his athlete must loose 4 pounds within 4 days. This is because, instead of training, he parties and womanizes. Now he is deeply in love with beautiful Marion. He agrees to ride in the 6 day race, but only under the condition that Marion spends all 6 days and nights with him in the Sports Palace where the race takes place. Lachmeister charges Lilly, the building superintendent's daughter, to watch Marion's apartment and not to open the door for anybody.

Marion's guardian, a rich gentleman from out of town named Bumsdorf angrily orders her to let him enter. Shocked, Lilly calls the police. An article in the evening newspaper recounts the attempted break-in and when Marion reads this, she races to her apartment where  she meets Bumsdorf who's already been freed by the police. From this point on, he doesn't want to leave her side and Marion doesn't know what to do.

At the bicycle track, the race has already begun At the bicycle track, the race has already begun and there's an enormous crowd of spectators. The most famous racers of the time are participating and are being loudly cheered.

RenzRenz, because he has noticed Marion's absence, gets nervous and has already lost one round in the race.

Lachmeister charges Dampf to get Marion and bring her there. Imagine Dampf's surprise when he Lachmeister charges Dampf to get Marion and bring her there. Imagine Dampf's surprise when he realizes that she lives in the same house as his beloved Lilly. Next, he executes a brilliant plan to get rid of the bothersome Mr. Bumsdorf; he pretends to be Marion's crazy brother and raises such antics that Bumsdorf, shocked, races away from the apartment.

Lilly has been watching Marion and Dampf together. Still mistaking him for Renz, she thinks that he's cheating on her with Marion. SLilly has been watching Marion and Dampf together. Still mistaking him for Renz, she thinks that he's cheating on her with Marion. So she asks Teddy the Mixer to bring her to the 6 day bicycle race so that she can find out what the relationship is between "Renz" and Marion really is.

ThereThere, at the race, Renz has taken a bad fall. Luckily he's only injured slightly, but has a big bandage around his head and is carried to the first aid station.

Marion, brought there by Dampf Marion, brought there by Dampf immediately tends to her lover. Meanwhile, Dampf has returned to his seat nearby. Suddenly he sees Lilly and Teddy enter the arena. He's ready to do anything to avoid being found out.

So he sneaks into the first aid area where Renz lies sleeping and there puts on Renz's racing Jersey and bandages his own head so that he looks just like Renz.

Then he goes over to Lilly. Lachmeier and his assistants also mistake him for Renz so they forcibly seat him on the bicycle and send him out into the race.

He gathers all his strength and wins the race... by a nose's length!

The spectators greet the winner with stormy enthusiasm. Thrilled, Lachmeier just doesn't understand one thing; who is this third e spectators greet the winner with stormy enthusiasm. Thrilled, Lachmeier just doesn't understand one thing; who is this third rider in his team?

 When Dampf removes the bandage, Lachmeier recognizes him by his nose and, full of gratitude, hires him  When Dampf removes the bandage, Lachmeier recognizes him by his nose and, full of gratitude, hires him to join his team of racers.

Lilly has slid into the riders' box next to Dampf. Now she too realizes that he isn't Renz after all. But she also has deceived him, because she's not the dancer that she pretended to be.

Still, none of this matters. They fall into each other's arms while, outside, Renz rides the winner's round before the mass of spectators all crying "Bravo!"

 


Cast
Siegfried Arno
Lucie Englisch
Elga Brink
Ernst Verebes
Fred Louis Lerch
Julius Falkensein
Max Ehrlich
Paul Kemp
Fritz Alberti
Frieda Richard
Else Reval
Ellen Plessow
Carla Gidt
Julius E. Hermann
Hugo Döblin
Krücke
Buschenhagen
Ehmer
Tietz
Lehmann
Wissel
Petri
Schenk
etc.



...Hans Dampf
...Lilly
...Marion
...Teddy
...Paul Renz
...Lachmeyer
...Bumsdorf
...Sperling
...Funkreportage
...Mutter Schnidt
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...Famous Bike Racers
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Directed by Johannes Guter

Head of Production is
M. Safra

Written by Bobby E. Lüthge
& Willy Prager

Texte by Kurt Schwabach

Sound Directed by Kurt Ulrich & Fritz Sereisky

Music by Will Meisel

Music Directed by
M. Buchstab

Cinematography by
Eduard Hoesch

Still Photos by
Walter Lichtenstein

Sports Advisor Walter Rütt

Stage sets built by
Otto Hunte & E. Hasler

System by Lignose Breusing "Lichtton"

Production Company is
Gnom-Tonfilm GmbH
Berlin SW 68
Friedrichstr. 224

Rental for Berlin-East &
Northern Germany by
Metropol-Film-Verleih GmbH
Berlin SW 68
Friedrichstr. 19

Rental for Middle Germany by Fritz Stein Film-Verleih GmbH
Düsseldorf
Oststrasse 110

Rental for South Germany by
Sica-Tonfilm Verleih GmbH
Munich 2 SW
Lindwurmstrasse 88
 

   
   
 


 
 

 

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                                 Last modified: January 5th 2012