A monster tragedy? Earth Spirit (1923), Stephen Horne and Pamela Hutchinson, BFI Asta Nielsen Season

Frank Wedekind’s play has multiple connections in silent film not least of which is Louise Brooks’ genuinely iconic performance in GW Pabst’s Pandora’s Box (1929) but before the 22-year old American became synonymous with the character of Lulu a 41-year old Dane acted herself quite differently into the role. The play had initially been written in 1894 as a single piece in five acts and subtitled A Monster Tragedy but Wedekind subsequently divided it into two plays: Earth Spirit (1895) and Pandora’s Box first performed in 1904. Before Pabst re-joined the two for his film, Leopold Jessner made his version of the first part with Asta Nielsen and it’s fascinating to see the differences in approach and style.

 

It’s hardly fair but modern silent film viewers cannot start off watching Die Asta’s Lulu without thinking of Brooks but that quickly vanishes as you see how forcefully Nielsen goes about the role. Even before Brooks, for me there was Joanne Whalley in Ian MacDiarmid’s production of the play at the Donmar Warehouse in 1991, no bob, that was left to Belinda Lang as Countess Geschwitz, a sign of trying to escape Brooks’ iconicism in order to get to the root of this complex and controversial character: is Wedekind proto-feminist or does Lulu represent the “sins” of free sexuality? Maybe, yes… but more and it’s also about Lola Montez… about whom the internet virtually teems with rumour and suggestion.

Carl Ebert and Asta

 

It's not only modern audiences… Brooks herself had, of course, an opinion about Earth Spirit according to season programmer Pamela Hutchinson, who quotes the actress from Lulu in Hollywood, complaining about the earlier film’s ducking the lesbian aspects of the play and Nielsen’s lack of dance skill. Brooks also said that there we two types of actors, one’s like her who essentially played themselves and others, like Nielsen, who played their parts. Even looking at the Asta of Afgrunden you wouldn’t see her as a natural “Earth spirit”, a Lulu or untamed passions and yet… there she is. Asta is, literally, different in every film I’ve seen in this season and here is no different.

 

Asta’s Lulu is outrageous, more knowing and yet just as ruinously impetuous as Brooks’ version, she’s faithless and fancy free, carnal and reckless but… no one ever says no do they “Men”? Just as there are so many ways to read the play, there are so many ways to read Asta playing Lulu. As is becoming thrillingly clear from this season, the Dane never seemed to have played the same part twice and here again is another unique creation as she inhabits a character of her own making no matter, I’m sure, of the expert prompting from director Leopold Jessner.

 

As season curator, Pamela Hutchinson said in her introduction, Jessner was a noted theatre director and one of a number of heavy hitters from the stage involved in this production, script writer Carl Meyer, producer Richard Oswald et al, both a reflection of the seriousness with which the play was regarded and also the prestige of the star performer, who’s years of theatrical under-achievement were long behind her now, not only the premier screen star in Europe but also arguably the finest actor despite new challengers from Sweden, Germany and France.

A love-hate relationship? Asta and Albert Bassermann

Lulu has been having a long time dalliance with Dr Schoen (classically trained actor and former chemist, Albert Bassermann) who has married her off to the older Dr Goll (Gustav Rickelt) knowing she’ll run rings around him and be available when required. However, he reckons without Lulu’s endlessly playful nature and Schwarz (Carl Ebert), the handsome painter employed to portray her in sexy Pierrot costume, is soon seduced the minute Schoen takes his friend off to a cabaret.

 

Lulu is wild, tearing down the carefully arranged fabrics designed to filter the light in the huge high-ceilinged studio and wrapping around herself and her lover, who needs dance training when you can destroy the scenery and arouse physical passion at the same time. Sadly, Goll has come back early, perhaps suspecting intrigue and, desperately smashing down the door he finds the couple in flagrante or at least, tangled in fabrics, and after taking a swipe at the painter falls dead to the floor. Lulu’s mild irritation at this distraction speaks volumes and soon she is married to the painter.

 

The painter’s house is an expressionistic extension of his high (ceilinged) art and in time Lulu lolls around bored by his aesthetic intensity and waiting for fun. Cue her father/first benefactor, the sinister Schigolch (Alexander Granach) whom she welcomes by throwing herself prone onto opulent cushions and waving her heels in the air before pouring him two large ones which he drinks and she pours onto the carpet… not so out of control after all?

The novelty of art has worn off... Asta and Carl Ebert

Dr. Schoen remains in close attendance as does his son Alwa (Rudolf Forster) who, naturally, is drawn to Lulu like a moth to a naked candle flame… then we have the friends of Schigolch, a circus strong man Rodrigo (Heinrich George) and a poet Eulenber (Erwin Biswanger) opposite ends of the intellectual spectrum yet equally fascinated beyond their understanding.

 

All of the men see their sexuality reflected in Lulu’s dazzling energy. As with all her roles Nielsen makes you believe and there’s some daring subtext if you only look for it… Pamela told us to pay particular attention to Asta’s moth and there is a long essay on her “lip-ography” in this film right up until the sudden and quite shocking end.

 

Wedekind said that “Lulu is not a real character but the personification of primitive sexuality who inspires evil unaware. She plays a purely passive role…” How interesting then that from two different directions two women made her into something more in both the films of the twenties.

 

Stephen Horne who, as those of us who have his debut album, Silent Sirens know, has a particular rapport with the strong silent actresses and accompanied with some primal tones of his own playing piano, flute and accordion. Of these perhaps the flute caught the essential mysteries best, there’s something knowing and unknowable in Asta’s Lulu a force as well as an accident of nature.

 

So, another winner for the Dane and one that I’m looking forward to watching again. Her reputation and my appreciation grows with every screening.

 

The Nielsen season runs until 15^th March and Earth Spirit is screened again on Wednesday 9^th with accompaniment from Meg Morley, not to be missed!