OLD HEIDELBERG (USA/1927)

This Ernst Lubitsch film is the best of many versions based on the novel "Karl Heinrich" by Wilhelm Meyer-Foster. It was turned into a famous operetta called "The Student Prince" and re-released by MGM with that title during the 40s and 50s. It's the story of Karl Heinrich, the heir to the throne of Karlsburg, who is separated from his mother at age 10 by his uncle, the King, and home-schooled at the Royal Palace. The prince (Mexican-born Ramon Novarro) is lonely and isolated until he finishes high school, when he is sent, along with his beloved tutor, to university in Heidelberg. The prince falls in love with enchanting barmaid/innkeeper Kathi (Canadian-born Norma Shearer) and discovers the joys of friendship and beer-drinking. Then the King's declining health and an arranged "marriage of state" threaten the prince's happiness.

Old Heidelberg is simply lovely. It achieves sublime poignancy when the prince returns briefly to Heidelberg prior to asuming the throne. He seeks informal camaraderie fom his college buddies but they regard him with respect and reverence. An older couple remarks "It must be great to be a King" but the expression in Novarro's face is resigned and mournful. Novarro and Shearer were never more appealing than as the tragic couple here. Their love scene in a field of waving grasses and daisy-studded hills is glorious and unforgettable.

Old Heidelberg was the centerpiece of the last edition of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. It was reportedly a huge hit with the contemporary audience. It's available on vhs and laser disc (if you can find it).