The Sovereign
Der Herrscher
Synopsis
Der Herrscher (The Sovereign) was based on Before Sunset, a play by Gerhart Hauptmann. The great Emil Jannings stars as Mathias Clausen, a self-made businessman who is forced to do a great deal of soul-searching when his wife unexpectedly dies. Determining to start life anew, he falls in love with his secretary Inken (Marianne Hoppe) and impulsively takes a vacation to Italy. Clausen's selfish grown children, not wishing to share their father's affections -- nor his money -- with his new wife-to-be, go to court demanding that Clausen be declared mentally incompetent. Upon finding this out, Clausen flies into a rage, leaving the audience to wonder whether or not he really as gone off his trolley. Der Herrscher was directed by Veit Harlan, more famous (or notorious) for his viciously anti-Semitic Jud Suess (1940).
Top Cast
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Emil Jannings
Matthias Clausen
Marianne Hoppe
Inken Peters
Hilde Körber
Bettina Clausen
Käthe Haack
Ottilie Klamroth
Herbert Hübner
Direktor Erich Klamroth
Maria Koppenhöfer
Klothilde Clausen
Paul Bildt
Diener Winter
Heinrich Schroth
Direktor Hofer
Max Gülstorff
Sanitätsrat Geiger
Harald Paulsen
Rechtsanwalt Hanefeld
Paul Wagner
Professor Wolfgang Clausen
Hannes Stelzer
Egert
Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Direktor Bodlfing
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Veit Harlan
- Screenplay & Story
- Thea von Harbou, Curt J. Braun
- Original Score
- Wolfgang Zeller
- Original Title
- Der Herrscher
- Country of Origin
- Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German
- Runtime
- 1h 43m
- Production Studios
- Tobis-Magna-Filmproduktion
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Veit Harlan
Thea von Harbou, Curt J. Braun, Harald Bratt, Gerhart Hauptmann
Wolfgang Zeller
Günther Anders, Werner Brandes
Martha Dübber
Karl Julius Fritzsche
Department Leadership Roster
Veit Harlan
Director
Harald Bratt
Writer
Karl Julius Fritzsche
Producer
Günther Anders
Director of Photography
Martha Dübber
Editor
Ilse Fehling
Costume Design
Thea von Harbou
Screenplay
Robert Herlth
Production Design
Curt J. Braun
Screenplay
Werner Brandes
Director of Photography
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Sovereign.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Sovereign.
War: World War II
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Volpi Cup for Best Actor (1935–Present)
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Sovereign
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Sovereign about?
Der Herrscher (The Sovereign) was based on Before Sunset, a play by Gerhart Hauptmann. The great Emil Jannings stars as Mathias Clausen, a self-made businessman who is forced to do a great deal of soul-searching when his wife unexpectedly dies. Determining to start life anew, he falls in love with his secretary Inken (Marianne Hoppe) and impulsively takes a vacation to Italy. Clausen's selfish grown children, not wishing to share their father's affections -- nor his money -- with his new wife-to-be, go to court demanding that Clausen be declared mentally incompetent. Upon finding this out, Clausen flies into a rage, leaving the audience to wonder whether or not he really as gone off his trolley. Der Herrscher was directed by Veit Harlan, more famous (or notorious) for his viciously anti-Semitic Jud Suess (1940).
Who directed The Sovereign?
The Sovereign was directed by Veit Harlan.
Who stars in The Sovereign?
The principal cast of The Sovereign includes Emil Jannings, Marianne Hoppe, Hilde Körber, Käthe Haack, Herbert Hübner.
When was The Sovereign released and how long is it?
The Sovereign was released in 1937 with a total runtime of 1h 43m.
Who composed the musical score for The Sovereign?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Sovereign was composed by Wolfgang Zeller.
Is The Sovereign based on a book or true story?
The Sovereign is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Gerhart Hauptmann".