Ich bei Tag und du bei Nacht (1932) Online

I by Day, You by Night (Ich bei tag und du bei nacht) is an enjoyable black and white Germany musical comedy -- fully subtitled, even the songs. It was filmed in the spring of 1932 and released in November of that year (this was the year before Hitler became Chancellor and Goebbels started exerting authority over German cinema). There are some great songs in the movie and the Director takes the audience to some nice exterior shots around old Berlin and Potsdam, a beautiful suburb of Berlin where the Sanssouci Palace and other estates of Germany's House of Hohenzollern are located. The film also seemed to have some subtle pokes at Hitler, as there is a character in the film called "Wolf" who is a sort of a hanger on, sponging off of the wealthy executive's daughter in the film (Wolf was Hitler's nickname that some old friends and comrades called him). But the film is not overtly political, and is filmed with good humor. Much German cinema of that period, when it wasn't political (and not all of it was, even in the '30s and '40s), is enjoyable and well-acted. Fans of TCM and the old films should rediscover classic European cinema of the interwar period like this one. Käthe von Nagy is delightful and Willy Fritsch is funny as always. Longtime stage actress Elisabeth Lennartz is also very good, though underused. The Comedian Harmonists also make an appearance.

Willy Fritsch was Germany's most popular actor in the early 30s. He was a great all rounder. He had starred in Fritz Lang's fantastic film "Spies" (1928). In the early 30s he was a popular leading man for Renate Muller, Lillian Harvey and Kathe Von Nagy in a series of enchanting German musicals.

The film starts with a song "Every Sunday at the Cinema" - Hans (Willy Fritsch) is bemoaning the fact that films are not like real life - there is too much romance, songs and happy endings (especially in the new film at the local cinema). Grete (the delectable Kathe Von Nagy) is preparing to go to work, singing as she goes - life could be like the movies, if only romance would come her way.

She also has a list of complaints about her "flat-mate". She is in a shared room - she is there by night - he (Hans) sleeps there by day(because of his job as a waiter). Hence the title of the film. They have never met but different habits they have - where they hang their clothes, leave their hats etc annoy each other immensely. One day they start chatting - they still don't realise that the other one is the hated room-mate.

She says to him "Parties by night (she sees his waiters tuxedo), strolling by day - you must be rich." She is a manicurist who has been picked up in a Mercedes Benz to make a house call - he thinks she is a general manager's daughter.

They agree to meet at 5. After some fun with transport (they still think the other is rich) they visit Sans Souci at Potsdam.

The film is a satire of the unreality of frothy musicals as compared to the harsh reality of everyday life. The "movie within a movie"

• the one at the local cinema is featured throughout the film with it's over the top song "Wenn du nicht kommst dann baben die Rosen umsonst gebluht".

This is a lovely musical comedy of mistaken identity. There is also another romantic sub-plot involving the general manager's daughter Trude (Elisabeth Lennartz) and Wolf (Albert Lieven). Everything is resolved at the end. One of the best things is the chance to see the wonderful Comedian Harmonists sing "Uns Kann Keiner".