A Filmmaker's Guide to: Conrad Veidt

In this chapter of ‘the filmmaker’s guide’ we’re actually going to be learning about literature and film together. I understand that many of you are sitting in university during difficult times and finding it increasingly hard to study and I understand that many of you who are not at university or not planning on it are possibly stuck of what to do, need a break or even need to catch up on learning film before you get to the next level. This guide will be brief but will also contain: new vocabulary, concepts and theories, films to watch and we will be exploring something taboo until now in the ‘filmmaker’s guide’ - academia (abyss opens). Each article will explore a different concept of film, philosophy, literature or bibliography/filmography etc. in order to give you something new to learn each time we see each other. You can use some of the words amongst family and friends to sound clever or you can get back to me (email in bio) and tell me how you’re doing. So, strap in and prepare for the filmmaker’s guide to film studies because it is going to be one wild ride.

Conrad Veidt

Who was he?

Born in the late 1800s, Conrad Veidt came from Berlin, Germany to become one of the greatest and highest paid actors of the German Empire. He was a brilliant character actor, he was able to play some of the most difficult characters of the German Expressionist era and is probably most famous for portraying the terrifying Cesare in "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920). He has done a number of other works until the rise of the Nazis where he and his wife ran from Germany because his wife was Jewish.

What did he do?

Are you really asking what Conrad Veidt did? Well, he was an incredible actor who possibly had more of an impact over character-acting than he thought he did. He was a massive inspiration for many actors in the American film industry who were slowly moving into the era of horror film during the 1930s. I believe that without Conrad Veidt, horror film and character-acting would have been very different and possibly not as good.

He has many lost films that I would give my left arm to see, but let us have a look at the films we do know of, starting with the obvious and the best:

"The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" (1920)

This film messed eight-year-old me up several different ways when I accidentally watched it when I was little. It's the part where he opens his eyes for the first time and then, when he kidnaps Jane. I am going to be perfectly serious when I say that Conrad Veidt's acting in this film to this day, creeps me out. It's one of those performances that makes your skin crawl. That is all I'm going to say about how good it is.

"Lucrezia Borgia" (1922)

Another character called Cesare? Another terrifying character? No problem. Conrad Veidt portrays Cesare Borgia in this historical drama directed by Richard Oswald. I am not going to lie when I say this, I have only seen this film once and all I could think was how great Conrad Veidt was. It is a brilliant film and an amazing character.

"The Hands of Orlac" (1924)

I love Conrad Veidt in horror and fantasy films. You can't purchase this one on the 'masters of cinema' collection, which is not that good actually and made me fairly upset. (Whether it has not been released or is always sold out, I have no idea). I love Conrad Veidt as Orlac and honestly, it is one of his greatest and most complex roles. I think that it is seriously underrated as a movie and everyone needs to watch it. An early fantasy film at its best and Conrad Veidt in one of his best roles.

Conclusion

Films like "Waxworks" (1924), "Ingmar's Inheritance" (1925), "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) and even his role in the great "Casablanca" (1942) have been considered amongst Conrad Veidt's best and honestly, I have never really seen a better character actor. I highly recommend getting into this actor and reviving his legacy today as some of his greatest films turn 100 years' old this decade.