Nero-Film
| Company type | Public corporation |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film production |
| Founded | 1925 in Berlin, Germany |
| Founder | Heinrich Nebenzahl, Richard Oswald |
| Defunct | 1933 |
| Fate | Dissolved after Nazi seizure of power |
| Headquarters | Berlin , Germany |
Key people | Seymour Nebenzal (leader) |
| Products | Films including Pandora's Box, Westfront 1918, The Threepenny Opera, M, Kameradschaft, L'Atlantide, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse |
Nero-Film AG was a film production enterprise established in 1925 in Berlin, Germany, operating during the Weimar era.
History
The company's title derived from the founders’ names: "NE" representing businessman Heinrich Nebenzahl and "RO" standing for director Richard Oswald. Initially launched as Nero-Film GmbH, it transitioned into a public corporation, Nero-Film AG, in 1927.
Under the leadership of Heinrich’s son, Seymour Nebenzal, Nero-Film became recognized as one of Germany’s most creatively driven studios, working with prominent directors such as G.W. Pabst and Fritz Lang. The company was responsible for producing significant films of the Weimar period including Pandora's Box, Westfront 1918, The Threepenny Opera, M, Kameradschaft, L'Atlantide, and The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. Alongside the proletarian Prometheus Film, Nero-Film represented a crucial artistic opposition to the ascent of Nazism. Following the Nazi seizure of power in 1933, Seymour Nebenzal fled Germany, leading to the dissolution of Nero-Film AG. Notably, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse was the first motion picture banned by the Nazi government; both Nebenzal and director Fritz Lang confronted Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, who mandated its destruction and prohibition.
Utilizing his American citizenship, Nebenzal escaped to Switzerland, subsequently relocating to France where he revived the company under the name Production Nero Film. There he partnered with director Anatole Litvak on the acclaimed film Mayerling, featuring actor Charles Boyer. With the Nazi invasion of France imminent, Nebenzal moved to Los Angeles and established Nero Films Inc. His son, Harold Nebenzal, continues to oversee the Nero archive, including managing a restored print of the 1951 remake of M directed by Joseph Losey, which was showcased at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival.
Selected filmography
- Die Gefangene von Shanghai (1927)
- Das letzte Fort (1928)
- Tragödie im Zirkus Royal (1928)
- Die Büchse der Pandora (1929)
- Menschen am Sonntag (1930)
- Vier von der Infanterie (1930)
- Skandal um Eva (1930)
- Die 3 Groschen-Oper (1931)
- Ariane (1931)
- M (1931)
- Kameradschaft (1931)
- L'Atlantide (1932) – produced in German, French, and English versions
- Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)
As Production Nero Film
- Le Sexe faible (1933)
- La crise est finie (1934)
- La Vie parisienne (1936)
- Mayerling (1936)
- Le Roman de Werther (1938)
- The Mayor's Dilemma (1939)
As Nero Films Inc.
- We Who Are Young (1940)
- Hitler's Madman (1943)
- Summer Storm (1944)
- Whistle Stop (1945)
- The Chase (1946)
- Heaven Only Knows (1947)
- Siren of Atlantis (1948)
- M (1951)
- Bis zum Ende aller Tage (1961)
Continuing the legacy, Seymour Nebenzal’s son, Harold Nebenzal, has maintained Nero-Film’s heritage by producing notable films such as Cabaret and Gabriela.
Additional resources
- Wottrich, Erika. M wie Nebenzahl: Nero-Filmproduktion zwischen Europa und Hollywood. Edition Text + Kritik, Munich, 2002. ISBN 3883777102