ASSIGNMENT #5 Blue Angel

            It was so sad when Lola laughed when the Professor, proposed marriage to her. She is a cold, calculating character. But I have to agree, she certainly is free-spirited. She is happy and comfortable in her skin, with whom and what she is. She knows no loyalty or true love and probably never did. She knows how to use and manipulate her sexuality decisively.

The second part that I found sad was when he went back to his village and had to face the people he grew up and worked with, as a clown, even his own old friends found it unbearable to watch him. He was a prominent outstanding citizen who was respected by all, to a clown, married to a cabaret dancer of a side show whom he desired and loved.  He married beneath his stature, which is not the norm and so was condemned and ridiculed by society. At the end of the movie, the fore-shadow was the sound of the fog horn of what was to come- his death. ”The idea of freedom as duty turns back into itself and becomes unfreedom to the extent to which it neglects the irreducible factors of the external world” ( murdaco). Teaching was his life but he gave it up to be with Lola, which in the end destroyed him mentally. Even though the Professor followed his superego by upholding values adopted from parents and society and also being very authoritarian to his students and society, he none the less followed his id by following impulses according to the pleasure principle according to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory” (Freud). Many men have fallen from power because of a woman.

"It's All a Swindle" (Alles Schwindel), by Mischa Spoliansky and Marcellus Schiffer (1931)

in 

Cabaret Song

Politicians
are magicians
who make swindles disappear
The bribes they are taking
the deals they are making
never reach the public's ear
The left betrays, the right dismays
the country's broke and guess who pays
But tax each swindle in the making
profits will be record breaking
Everyone swindles some
so vote for who will steal for you

Bürger schwindelt,
Staatsmann schwindelt,
Schwindel, was die Zeitung schreibt,
Moral und Sitte,
rechts, links und Mitte!
Ehrlich ist, was übrig bleibt!
Alles sucht sich zu betrügen,
na, sonst mübt’ich wirklich lügen!
Bins, das kann ich glatt beteuern:
Könnt’ den Schwindel man besteuern,
hätt’ der Staat nicht Sorgen mehr,
denn dann wär’ er Millionär!

 Alles Schwindel, alles Schwindel, usw.

The song is about politicians and their deception and how it affects the citizens who work so hard to survive. I choose this song because it makes sense and it is true. Every day I hear on the news about another politician who is abusing funds or abusing their power in some way. It has always happened in the past and the present is no better. The politicians are just better at deceit now than they were before. The poor, the tax payers, all citizens are held responsible for the actions of someone who thinks he can get away with deceiving the government and the people. Nowadays people are not really surprised by their actions. And that is why it is good that we have the choice of choosing another politician to serve and work for us, the people.

"The Lavender Song" (Das Lila Lied), music by Mischa Spoliansky, lyrics by Kurt Schwabach (1920)

in 

 Cabaret Song Homophobia

 Round us all up, send us away

that's what you'd really like to do
But we're too strong, proud, unafraid
in fact we almost pity you
You act from fear, why should that be
What is it that you are frightened of
The way that we dress
The way that we meet
The fact that you cannot destroy our love
We're going to win our rights
to lavender days and nights

 Wozu die Qual, uns die

Moral der andern aufzudrängen?
Wir, hört geshwind, sind wie wir sind,
selbst wollte man uns hängt,
den müte man beweinen,
doch bald gebt acht, es wird über Nacht
auch unsre Sonne scheinen.
Dann haben wir das gleiche Recht erstritten,
wir leiden nicht meht, sondern sind gelitten.
Wir sind nun einmal anders, usw.

The song is saying are you going to round us up and lock us away because we are different, based on how we dress, how we look, what we like, and who we like. We freely express ourselves while you hide who you are. We love ourselves and who we are and you cannot change that fact no matter what you do to us. The lyrics are lovely. And oh, so true. Why are people afraid of what and whom is different?  Are we not all human beings, who bleed and have feelings just like everybody else?

I noticed in the movie, blue angel, at the cabaret where ever the performers went. They were constantly monitored/watched by a Nazi police. Which I found interesting to watch.

175a. If a male has sexual interactions with another male he is guilty and will be imprisoned for up to ten years, losing his civil rights unless he is a minor, there will be a lesser charge or penalty.

175b. Anyone having sex with animals will be imprisoned and lose their civil rights.

 “The idea of freedom as duty turns back into itself and becomes unfreedom to the extent to which it neglects the irreducible factors of the external world” (murdaco).  Although we are free in society there are many restrictions placed on our behavior, even it is something that makes us happy, shared with a partner, is healthy, even leading to a fulfilling life and does not hurt anyone. There is always a limit on our rights and our freedom.  Things were hard in Germany and quiet a few people joined the cabaret to make money and have somewhere to belong especially if they felt as if they did not belong based on restrictions in society.