In this book that takes inspiration from G.W. Pabst, Leni Riefenstahl is cast in a minor role.
Rewritten Review
Gripping Meditation on Art and Complicity: "The Director" by Daniel Kehlmann
In the bleak times we're living in, Daniel Kehlmann's latest novel, "The Director," is a gripping exploration of the moral dilemmas creatives face when navigating political oppression. This historical novel, inspired by the life of the Austrian filmmaker G.W. Pabst, lurks in the shadows of World War II, as artists like Pabst grapple with the devilish deal of collaborating with the Nazis.
Translated by Ross Benjamin into idiomatic English prose, "The Director" manages to straddle the line between commercial and literary fiction. Kehlmann's most recent work, "Tyll," was shortlisted for the 2020 International Booker Prize, demonstrating a storytelling prowess that immerses readers from the get-go.
The convoluted world within "The Director" is off-balance in more ways than one. So, let's journey down the twisted rabbit hole.
Much like a cinematic projection, Pabst's struggle to establish himself in Hollywood is marred by a linguistic barrier that clashes with the industry's norms. It's a disorienting whirlwind of strangers confusing him with other filmmakers, leading to a disastrous restaurant review of his debut American film.
Pabst's return to Austria, to nurse his ailing mother, could not have come at a worse time. The farm, once his sanctuary, has been taken over by a formerly submissive caretaker turned Nazi sympathizer, Jerzabek, and his family of tormentors.
Trapped by the onset of war, Pabst finds himself gradually drawn back into the world of filmmaking, churning out nonpolitical productions for the Reich. His professional doubts echo the surreal spatial distortions of the novel, as life and film blur into an indistinguishable dreamscape.
Kehlmann's narrative unfolds from various perspectives, with a revolving cast of characters that includes Pabst, his wife Trude, son Jakob, actress Greta Garbo, Reich envoy Kuno Krämer, and even the infamous Leni Riefenstahl. Each character offers a different POV on the twisted web that is Pabst's life.
Time seems to lose its grip in this tale, hurling us headfirst into absurdity that manages to hit close to home. Take, for example, a resident of a mental institution named Franz Wilzek, who was once a fellow director and former assistant to Pabst. Wilzek is coerced into a live television interview, the absurdity of which only magnifies his confusion as he frolics in the seams of reality.
"The Director" is a journey through a looking glass, where perception is skewed, and forgery is rarer than authenticity. In a world where art and reality dance tragically together, Pabst's self-justifications become a bitter dance that tastes like poetic irony.
Epilogue: As you dive into "The Director," remember that art is often born amid turmoil and contradiction. It reminds us that even in the darkest moments, we must ask ourselves: "What am I willing to compromise, and what principles are worth fighting for?"
Klein is the Forward's contributing book critic.
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Enrichment Data:"The Director" offers an intensely intimate glimpse into the life of G.W. Pabst, a renowned Austrian filmmaker trying to survive under Nazi oppression. The novel illustrates the immense pressure artists underwent to conform to the Nazi regime's demands, creating a moral quagmire that many faced during that era.
Historically, Pabst, initially escaping the Nazi regime, settled in Hollywood and made films, only to return to Austria after the advent of war. However, his comeback to his homeland ended in his forced collaboration on propaganda films for the Third Reich.
The novel explores the ethical complexities and moral implications for artists who chose to work with oppressive regimes. Pabst grappled deeply with questions about artistic autonomy, compromising his principles to survive, but also creating art that, in hindsight, may have been a shining beacon of resistance. The novel raises questions about the significance, purpose, and power of art in times of strife, encouraging readers to ponder the role of artists in society.
- The entanglement of art and complicity, rendered strikingly in Daniel Kehlmann's "The Director," finds a parallel in the entertainment industry of California, particularly Hollywood, where creatives often face moral dilemmas in navigating political oppression.
- During Pabst's struggle to establish himself in Hollywood, a linguistic barrier emerges, mirroring the challenges faced by artists in adapting to the norms of a foreign environment, much like USC (University of Southern California) students might encounter when diving into unfamiliar academic territory.
- Reflecting the broader entertainment industry, the world within "The Director" is filled with intrigues reminiscent of the movies. Like the plot twists one encounters in a captivating film, the narrative weaves through multiple perspectives, with characters as diverse as Greta Garbo, UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) ghosts, and even Henry Mancini, who might compose a soulful soundtrack for the tale.
- As the story unfolds, it traverses the realms of literature and television, raising questions about the role of art in times of strife – echoing the discourse found in books, college classrooms, and intellectual circles. Pabst's journey can be likened to the metamorphosis of an ordinary citizen into a complex character in a fictional narrative.
- In the end, "The Director" is a poignant exploration of the moral quandaries faced by artists in an oppressive environment, mirroring the experiences of many living in California today. It serves as a reminder that both art and reality can be somewhat symmetrical in their complexity, reinforcing the idea that art is often born amid turmoil and contradiction.
