Paul Czinner

Paul Czinner (May 30, 1890 – June 22, 1972) was a writer, film director, and producer.

Czinner was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary. After studying literature and philosophy at the University of Vienna, he worked as a journalist. From 1919 onward, he dedicated himself to work for the filming industry as writer, director and producer. In 1924, he offered the leading role in his film Nju to Elisabeth Bergner. They became partners, and after the persecution of the Jewish people by Adolf Hitler they fled to Vienna and then London, where they were married. Despite Czinner's homosexuality, the union proved a happy and personally and professionally enriching union for both partners. 1934 saw the realisation of his film Katharina die Grosse, with his wife playing the main role, although the film was not shown in Germany. They emigrated to the U.S. in 1940, working on Broadway.

After the end of World War II, they returned to England, where Czinner made numerous successful opera movies (e.g. Don Giovanni, Der Rosenkavalier).

He died on June 22, 1972, in London, England at the age of 82.

Selected filmography

• 1919 Inferno
• 1924 Nju
• 1927 Doña Juana
• 1929 Fräulein Else
• 1929 The Way of Lost Souls (released in USA as The woman he scorned)
• 1931 Ariane
• 1932 Ariane, Russian maid; Mélo
• 1934 Catherine the Great
• 1935 Escape Me Never
• 1936 As You Like It, based on Shakespeare
• 1937 Dreaming Lips
• 1939 Stolen Life
• 1954 Don Giovanni, based on Mozart's opera.
• 1958 The Bolshoi Ballet
• 1959 The Royal Ballet
• 1962 Der Rosenkavalier, based on the opera by Richard Strauss
• 1966 Romeo and Juliet, ballet film starring Rudolf Nureyev and Margot Fonteyn

External links

• Paul Czinner at IMDB