Paracelsus is the story of the Renaissance era Swiss physician/alchemist/astrologer Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim.Paracelsus is the story of the Renaissance era Swiss physician/alchemist/astrologer Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim.Paracelsus is the story of the Renaissance era Swiss physician/alchemist/astrologer Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim.
Peter Martin Urtel
- Johannes - Famulus
- (as Martin Urtel)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe film was made for the 400th anniversary of Paracelsus' death in 1541.
- GoofsDuring the movie Paracelsus is called by his nickname Paracelsus. This name however added by him in 1529, while the healing of Johann Froben, which happened in the beginning of the movie happened in 1527.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Paracelsus: The people need me. It is screaming for me. Not to the emperor, I need to serve the people.
- Alternate versionsThere is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, "PARACELSUS (1943) + IL GIOVANE HITLERIANO QUEX (1933)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Hitler's Hollywood (2017)
Featured review
I have had a particular interest in this film since I saw HITLER'S HOLLYWOOD in April of 2018. I was intrigued by this movie's purported anti-Nazi sentiment as approved by Goebbels. The hypothesis offered was that the Evil Genius of Cinema -- worse than Louis B. Mayer, possibly the equal of Walt Disney -- had permitted its release as a sop to the intelligentsia. This seemed unlikely to me. If it was an anti-Nazi film, was it permitted, or did it slip by Goebbels' eagle-eyed omniscience? Or might it be something else, entirely?
I have tested this hypothesis in the only rational way I know. I have looked at the evidence of the film. I think the hypothesis, as asserted as fact in HITLER'S HOLLYWOOD, is false. I think it is something else entirely.
Werner Krauss is Paracelsus, a man whose enemy is death. He meets his foe on the battlefield of the human body in sickness. His foe is assisted by the forces of the Establishment: the rich, seeking ever more riches through monopolies on the latest panacea, the medical colleges, who think that all knowledge of health is contained in Galen and Avicenna. He struggles, and has his victories, and failures, only to rise again, fighting plague, stupidity, cupidity, and vanity, all in the context of 16th Century Germany.
It is, in short, an entertaining medical biopic in fancy dress. That made me think about other medical biopics, like MADAME CURIE, but more especially, THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR, in which Paul Muni portrays the hero -- in a beard; Muni was a sucker for any role which had him wear a beard -- who fights his battle against the medical Establishment of 19th Century France, with his only goal the health and well-being of the people.
Hm. Given that, the simplest conclusion is that here was a proven formula with a German twist.
Is there a political or social message in it, other than we should trust the evidence of our eyes, and the success of testing theories against facts? I think there is such a message here: that the enemy of the poor and weak and ill are the rich and powerful. A rich man lets the plague into the city in hopes of more riches. The powerful medical establishment opposes Paracelsus to maintain its power and weath. Paracelsus' only allies are the young, the poor, and the sick.
Well, the rich and powerful we always have with us. They will always strive to maintain and engorge themselves. Truth, however, remains truth. Is that such a radical thought? Is this such a radical movie?
I have tested this hypothesis in the only rational way I know. I have looked at the evidence of the film. I think the hypothesis, as asserted as fact in HITLER'S HOLLYWOOD, is false. I think it is something else entirely.
Werner Krauss is Paracelsus, a man whose enemy is death. He meets his foe on the battlefield of the human body in sickness. His foe is assisted by the forces of the Establishment: the rich, seeking ever more riches through monopolies on the latest panacea, the medical colleges, who think that all knowledge of health is contained in Galen and Avicenna. He struggles, and has his victories, and failures, only to rise again, fighting plague, stupidity, cupidity, and vanity, all in the context of 16th Century Germany.
It is, in short, an entertaining medical biopic in fancy dress. That made me think about other medical biopics, like MADAME CURIE, but more especially, THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR, in which Paul Muni portrays the hero -- in a beard; Muni was a sucker for any role which had him wear a beard -- who fights his battle against the medical Establishment of 19th Century France, with his only goal the health and well-being of the people.
Hm. Given that, the simplest conclusion is that here was a proven formula with a German twist.
Is there a political or social message in it, other than we should trust the evidence of our eyes, and the success of testing theories against facts? I think there is such a message here: that the enemy of the poor and weak and ill are the rich and powerful. A rich man lets the plague into the city in hopes of more riches. The powerful medical establishment opposes Paracelsus to maintain its power and weath. Paracelsus' only allies are the young, the poor, and the sick.
Well, the rich and powerful we always have with us. They will always strive to maintain and engorge themselves. Truth, however, remains truth. Is that such a radical thought? Is this such a radical movie?
Details
- Runtime1 hour 44 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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