Ernst Lubitsch (1892 - 1947)

German American actor, screenwriter, producer and film director.

* January 28, 1892 Berlin
 November 30, 1947 Hollywood, California, USA



Ernst Lubitsch (1892-1947) was a German-born film director, producer, and screenwriter who was one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. He is considered one of the masters of the screwball comedy genre and is often referred to as the "Lubitsch Touch," a term used to describe his signature style of sophisticated, witty, and lighthearted filmmaking.

Lubitsch was born in Berlin and began his career as an actor and director in the German theater before transitioning to film in 1913. He quickly established himself as a prolific and innovative filmmaker, directing over 50 silent films in Germany before moving to Hollywood in 1922.

In Hollywood, Lubitsch continued to make films that combined elements of comedy, drama, and romance, and he became known for his sophisticated, witty, and lighthearted approach to filmmaking. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, Lubitsch continued to make some of the most memorable and acclaimed films of the period, including "Trouble in Paradise" (1932), "Design for Living" (1933), and "Ninotchka" (1939), which starred Greta Garbo. These films are widely regarded as classics of the screwball comedy genre and established Lubitsch as one of the most important directors of the era. In 1942 he directed "To Be or Not to Be" (1942), which is widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies ever made.

In addition to his comedic work, Lubitsch also directed a some serious and dramatic films, such as "Broken Lullaby" (1932). Throughout his career, Lubitsch was known for his unique and highly personal style of filmmaking, which combined elements of humor, romance, and sophistication. He was a master of the subtle gesture and the witty line, and his films are often characterized by their lighthearted, playful tone and their sophisticated, often cynical, view of human relationships.

Despite his success, Lubitsch's career was cut short when he died of a heart attack in 1947 at the age of 55. However, his legacy as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time continues to this day, and his work continues to be widely regarded as some of the most influential and entertaining films ever made.

Vintage magazines

Filmnyheter, nr. 33 1923
Picture Play Magazine, April 1923
Photoplay, June 1928

Photoplay, December 1928
Photoplay, March 1929
Photoplay, June 1929

Photoplay, November 1929
Photoplay, November 1929
Photoplay, May 1930


Books on Ernst Lubitsch

Rick McCormick Sex, politics, and comedy Rick McCormick
Sex, politics, and comedy, The transnational cinema of Ernst Lubitsch
Bloomington, Indiana, 2020

John W. Fawell Ernst Lubitsch's The student prince in old Heidelberg John W. Fawell
Ernst Lubitsch's The student prince in old Heidelberg, The art of classical Hollywood
Lanham, 2018

Joseph McBride How did Lubitsch do it? Joseph McBride
How did Lubitsch do it?
New York, 2018

Michael Hanisch Ernst Lubitsch Michael Hanisch
Ernst Lubitsch, von der Berliner Schönhauser Allee nach Hollywood
Berlin, 2003

Nora Henry Ethics and Social Criticism in the Hollywood Films of Erich von Stroheim, Ernst Lubitsch, and Billy Wilder Nora Henry
Ethics and Social Criticism in the Hollywood Films of Erich von Stroheim, Ernst Lubitsch, and Billy Wilder
Wetport, Connecticut - London, 2001

Nora Henry
Ethics and social criticism in the Hollywood films of Erich von Stroheim, Ernst Lubitsch, and Billy Wilder.
Westport, Conn., 2001

Guido Fink Ernst Lubitsch Guido Fink
Ernst Lubitsch
Milano, 1997

Scott Eyman
Ernst Lubitsch, Laughter in paradise
New York, 1993

Herta-Elisabeth Renk Ernst Lubitsch Herta-Elisabeth Renk
Ernst Lubitsch
Reinbek bei Hamburg, 1992

Sabine Hake Passions and deceptions Sabine Hake
Passions and deceptions, The early films of Ernst Lubitsch
Princeton, N.J., 1992

Barbara Bowman Master space Barbara Bowman
Master space, Film images of Capra, Lubitsch, Sternberg, and Wyler
New York, 1992

Sabine Hake Ernst Lubitsch Sabine Hake
Ernst Lubitsch, Eine Deutsche Aufsteigergeschichte
1984

Hans Helmut Prinzler, Enno Patalas (Herausgeber) Lubitsch Hans Helmut Prinzler, Enno Patalas (Herausgeber)
Lubitsch
München und Luzern, 1984

Leland A. Poague The Cinema of Ernst Lubitsch Leland A. Poague
The Cinema of Ernst Lubitsch, The Hollywood Films
South Brunswick and New York - London, 1978

Robert Carringer, Barry Sabath Ernst Lubitsch Robert Carringer, Barry Sabath
Ernst Lubitsch, A guide to references and resources
Boston, 1978

Robert Carringer, Barry Sabath
Ernst Lubitsch, A Guide to References and Resources
Boston,

Mason Kamana Allred Weimar cinema, embodiment, and historicity Mason Kamana Allred
Weimar cinema, embodiment, and historicity, Cultural memory and the historical films of Ernst Lubitsch
New York; London,

Books with substantial mentioning of Ernst Lubitsch

Ken Dancyger
The director's idea, The path to great directing
Amsterdam; Boston, 2006

John C. Tibbetts, James M. Welsh
The Encyclopedia of Filmmakers, Volume Two
New York, NY, 2002

Adrian Stahlecker
Film en kunst in ballingschap 1933-1945, Duitse artiesten en kunstenaars op de vlucht voor het naziregime
Den Haag, 2000

Tom Pendergast, Sara Pendergast (eds.)
International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, 2. Directors
Detroit/New York/San Francisco/London/Boston/Woodbridge, CT, 2000

Andrew Sarris (editor) The St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia Andrew Sarris (editor)
The St. James Film Directors Encyclopedia
Detroit - New York - Toronto - London, 1998

Andrew Sarris You ain't heard nothin' yet Andrew Sarris
"You ain't heard nothin' yet", the American talking film ; history & memory ; 1927 - 1949
New York, Oxford, 1998

Graham Petrie
Hollywood Destinies, European Directors in America 1922-1931
London, Boston, Melbourne and Henley, 1985

Ann Lloyd (ed.) Movies of the Thirties Ann Lloyd (ed.)
Movies of the Thirties
London, 1983

Richard Koszarski
Hollywood Directors, 1914-1940
New York, 1976

Stanley Hochman (ed.)
A Library of Film Criticism, American Film Directors
New York, 1974

Books with an entry on Ernst Lubitsch

Robert C. Reimer, Carol J. Reimer Historical Dictionary of German Cinema Robert C. Reimer, Carol J. Reimer
Historical Dictionary of German Cinema
Lanham, Maryland, Toronto, Plymouth, UK, 2008

Richard Abel (ed.) Encyclopedia of early cinema Richard Abel (ed.)
Encyclopedia of early cinema
London and New York, 2005

Ulrich Liebe (ed.)
Von Adorf bis Ziemann, Die Bibliographie der Schauspieler-Biographien 1900-2000. Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz
Schöppenstedt, 2004

David Thomson The New Biographical Dictionary of Film David Thomson
The New Biographical Dictionary of Film
New York, 2003

Larry Langman Destination Hollywood Larry Langman
Destination Hollywood, The Influence of Europeans on American Filmmaking
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London, 2000

Günther Dahlke Deutsche Spielfilme von dem Anfängen bis 1933 Günther Dahlke
Deutsche Spielfilme von dem Anfängen bis 1933, Ein Filmführer
Berlin, 1988

Martin J. Quigley (ed.) The Motion Picture Almanac Martin J. Quigley (ed.)
The Motion Picture Almanac, Big Stars in Big Pictures
Chicago, Ill., 1929

Articles on Ernst Lubitsch

Jay Weissberg, Early masterpieces, first muses, in: Sight & Sound, nr. 2, 2010 pp. 84

Stefan Drössler, Ernst Lubitsch and EFA, in: Film History, vol. 21, 2009 pp. 208-228

Ben Brewster, The Circle: Lubitsch and the theatrical farce tradition, in: Film History, vol. 13, 2001 pp. 372-389

Kristin Thompson, Lubitsch, acting and the silent romantic comedy, in: Film History, vol. 13, 2001 pp. 390-408

Bernard Eisenschitz, Der Stolz der Firma, Ernst Lubitsch zwischen Komödie und Historienfilm, in: Hans-Michael Bock und Michael Töteberg (Hg.), Das Ufa-Buch, Frankfurt am Main, 1992