Saxophon-Susi (Miss Saxophone). 1928. Germany. Directed by Karel Lamač. Screenplay by Lamač, Václav Wasserman. With Anny Ondra, Gaston Jacquet, André Roanne, Olga Limburg. Digital restoration courtesy of Deutsches Filminstitut & Filmmuseum (DFF). US restoration premiere. 70 min.
This delightful Weimar-era comedy follows the adventures of two young women—aristocratic Anni von Aspen and theater dancer Susi Hiller—who swap identities to escape their predetermined paths. Anni’s father plans to send her to a London boarding school to thwart her artistic ambitions, while Susi dreams of scholarly pursuits despite her mother’s stage aspirations for her. Czech star Anny Ondra delivers a radiant performance, culminating her evolution from naiïve flapper roles to more complex comic characters. Her eccentric dance number showcases the remarkable physical talent that would soon catch the attention of Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in The Manxman and Blackmail. The film exemplifies late-1920s German popular cinema’s international character—produced by Berlin’s Hom-Film in collaboration with Czech filmmakers, shot across European cities, and featuring a jazzy fox-trot by Rudolf Nelson. This restoration draws from elements found in France, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Russia, with digitally reconstructed sepia tinting based on a nitrate print from Cinémathèque de Bretagne, though significant portions from the original German release remain lost.
Ko-Ko's Magic. 1928. USA. Directed by Dave Fleischer. Produced by Max Fleischer. DCP. 4K restoration courtesy of Fabulous Fleischer Toons Restored, in collaboration with Paramount Pictures Archives. 6 min.