The Great Dictator 1939 1940 next previous
The Great Dictator Clippings 364/369
Eugen Sharin, Screen Writer, Hollywood, L. A., October 1947.
Eugen Sharin, Exploitation Manager
Continental Europe London
(...) Photo, Motion Picture Herald, June 13, 1936
& Russian Army‘s Marshal Ivan Konev,
undated, ebay
& Hotel Imperial, Vienna, 1938
& Café Imperial, Vienna, 1941
„It is the Marshal‘s wish to see The Great Dictator“
Editorial content. „Disunion in Vienna
EUGEN SHARIN
EUGEN SHARIN, an associate member of SWG,
served as American Films Officer in Austria. He has worked
in Hollywood as a writer and technical director, and
is now in Europe again on a film mission.
The Russian colonel was a big man, bullet-headed
and barrel-chested, and he did not like what the Americans
had done. The American Film Officer was a civilian
in uniform, quiet-mannered but sharp-tongued, and he did not
like that the Russians did not like what he, too, had
done. The meeting was expected to bring forth some fireworks.
Assistants on both sides felt like looking for buckets
and sponges. But the ornate parlor of a suite in Vienna‘s
Hotel Imperial never turned into a boxing ring.
,Ya ne saglassny!‘ the colonel thundered.
,The Colonel says he does not agree,‘ the translator
said.
The American nodded.
The colonel looked sternly first at the inkwell in front
of him, then at his adversary.
,I represent the Marshal,‘ he said, frowning. The
Marshal was Ivan Konev, liberator of Vienna, commander
of all Russian forces in Austria. It sounded ominous.
,I have been charged with transmitting a request from
the Marshal,‘ the colonel went on.
The Russians were always formal like that. They
used colonels as messenger boys, sometimes,
and the officer in question was not supposed to exercise
his own judgement, or contribute anything toward
settling matters. All he had to do was transmit messages
and receive replies, if any.
,I shall now put the request before you,‘ the
Russian said.
The American nodded again but said nothing. The
whole thing boded no good. Film matters in Austria were
complicated enough, and misunderstood enough by
his own HQ, without the Russian disagreeing again. They
were doing it all the time.
,Please go on,‘ he said, just to say something.
,Precisely,‘ the colonel said, looking straight at the
American. ,It is the Marshal‘s wish to see The Great Dictator.‘
The American was startled. He looked at his two
companions. They seemed puzzled.
,The Marshal is very fond of Charles Chaplin,‘
the colonel said. There was no mistake. The anticlimax
was not a figment of the imagination. The film
officer found himself:
,We shall be pleased to fulfill the Marshal‘s wish,‘
he said.
,You have a print of the picture?‘ the Russian asked,
solicitously.
,We have,‘ the American said, instantly, like fighter
rising to the charge. What does he knew of my troubles, he
wondered.
,Organizatzya!‘ the Russian beamed, admiringly.
He looked at his satellites. They were all beaming. ,Some
organization! These Americans! They have
everything!‘
We rose to leave, but the colonel was now all gracious
host. Vodka appeared from a sideboard and a small
chest yielded black bread, sardines and caviar. Charles
Chaplin was toasted, then Russia and America.“ (...)
At the Imperial, in the occupied Vienna after World War II,,
the Soviet forces have set up their headquarter.
Redaktioneller Inhalt
Marschall Iwan Konew ist nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg
Oberbefehlshaber der sowjetischen Truppen in Österreich.
The Great Dictator 1939 1940 next previous
