Film academic Paul Cuff joins us to discuss ANNA BOLEYN, Lubitsch’s second grand historical biopic about European royalty. We discuss Lubitsch’s career directory, the uses and misuses of Emil Jannings and Henny Porten, Weimar-era production design and lighting, silent film scores, and how this film compares to Lubitsch’s others epics.

Gloria Mercer was our dialogue editor for this episode.

After recording this episode, Paul and I discussed a certain other silent historical epic for long enough to warrant a whole bonus episode. So, we’re taking a break from Lubitsch for a week to talk NAPOLEON VU PAR ABEL GANCE (1927). What a curveball!

Paul’s Entry on THE LOVES OF THE PHARAOH on his website ‘The Realm of Silence’.