The Blue Swords
Seen it?1949 | 99 min | Drama, History
Monday Morning Maybeearly ratingWhy it’s a Monday Morning Maybe
With a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- A natural pick for history buffs and anyone who loves a strong drama. Best on a quiet night when you're in the mood to feel something. Fans of Mutiny on the Bounty should feel right at home.
- The mood
- Thoughtful and character-driven.
- The pace
- Quiet, then quietly devastating, at 1 hr 39 min.
- What might put you off
- It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
- Made in 1949: an older pace and style.
- Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.
The story of Johann Friedrich Böttger, an apothecary’s apprentice and alchemist’s assistant. Fleeing from the Prussian King, he goes to Saxony, where King Frederick August the Strong takes him to a fortress and demands that he create gold. Böttger is equipped with everything he would need for the task, but he has known for a while that actual gold production is a myth and instead experiments with porcelain—white porcelain, as the Chinese are said to possess. In 1709, he finally succeeds in surprising the King with the "white gold," the first white porcelain made in Europe, he hopes for freedom.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsNot counted
Not enough reviews on record yet
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Reach & staying powerWeak
Streaming release that reached a small audience so far
- Buzz & cultural impactWeak
About 640 people sought it out in the past year
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Cast & crew
Directed by Wolfgang Schleif
- Hans QuestJohann Böttger
- Ilse SteppatFrau von Tschirnhausen
- Herbert HübnerNehmitz
- Albert BesslerFinanzminister
- Alexander EngelHerr von Tschirnhausen
- Willy A. KleinauAugust der Starke
- Marianne PrenzelKatharina
- Paul WagnerKönig Friedrich I.
- Werner PledathKreisamtmann von Wittenberg
- Klaus MiedelLaskari