This evening’s program revolves around two strong figures of early cinema: Henny Porten and Mabel Normand. Two grand actresses who not only worked before the camera but were also very active behind the scenes, f.i. as producer. 

HENNY PORTEN was the first German film diva and her name will always be connected with the origin of German cinema.

In the comedy COUNTESS KITCHENMAID (1918) Porten plays Karolina Blom, a kitchenmaid aswell as enthusiast actress. The count goes on a trip and a servant of the king will come by to meet the countess (also played by Porten), to judge whether the count may be promoted to marshall. The countess is left home alone with her three lovers and decides to leave with them. Karolina acts as countess for when the servant comes and tries to save the day.

MABEL NORMAND (1893 – 1930) was actress, producer and screen writer and is sometimes considered the female Chaplin. She made several films with Chaplin aswell as with Roscoe Arbuckle, who can be seen during our Slapstick Saturday. In the romantic comedy THE FLOOR BELOW (1918), Normand plays a lighthearted office cleric who gets fired for misbehaviour. She gets a chance to redeem when asked to go undercover to solve a tough criminal case.