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Doctor Praetorius

Directed by	Karl Peter Gillmann Curt Goetz
Written by	Curt Goetz (play)
Produced by	Hans Domnick
Starring	Curt Goetz Valerie von Martens Erich Ponto
Cinematography	Fritz Arno Wagner
Edited by	Fritz Stapenhorst
Music by	Franz Grothe
Production company	Domnick Filmproduktion
Distributed by	Herzog-Filmverleih
Release date	15 January 1950 (1950-01-15)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	West Germany
Language	German

Doctor Praetorius or Woman's Doctor Praetorius (German: Frauenarzt Dr. Prätorius) is a 1950 West German comedy drama film directed by Karl Peter Gillmann and Curt Goetz and starring Goetz, Valerie von Martens and Erich Ponto.^[1] It was based on Goetz's own hit play which was made into the American film People Will Talk in the following year. A second German film, Praetorius, was released in 1965, starring Heinz Rühmann.

It was shot at the Göttingen Studios. The film's sets were designed by Walter Haag.

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Transcription

My experiments did not turn out quite like yours, Henry, but science, like love, has her little surprises, as you shall see. Good heavens, Doctor. What are these? There is a pleasing variety about my exhibits. My first experiment was so lovely that we made her a queen. Charming, don't you think? Then, of course, we had to have a king. Now he's so madly in love with her that we had to segregate them. Now, now. I have to be very careful with the king. Now behave. My next production looked so disapprovingly at the other two... that they made him an archbishop. He seems to be asleep. I must wake him up. The next one is the very Devil. Very bizarre, this little chap. There's a certain resemblance to me, don't you think? Or do I flatter myself? I took a great deal of pains with him. Sometimes I have wondered whether life wouldn't be much more amusing... if we were all devils, and no nonsense about angels... and being good. Oh! There's the king out again. [Squeaking] Even royal amours are a nuisance. [Squeaking] [Chattering] Poor archbishop. He has his hands full. There. That will keep you quiet. My little ballerina is charming but such a bore. She won't dance to anything but Mendelssohn's "Spring Song," and it gets so monotonous. My next is very conventional, I'm afraid, but you can never tell how these things will turn out. It was an experiment with seaweed. Normal size has been my difficulty. You did achieve size. I need to work that out with you.

Plot

Because of his kindness and philanthropy, Dr. Praetorius enjoys great popularity among patients, the medical staff and the student body alike. Only his colleague professor Speiter begrudges his success.

When his patient Maria Violetta wants to commit suicide because of an extramarital pregnancy, Prätorius takes care of the young woman. He attempts to break the news gently to her father but the latter mistakes him for a more than welcome admirer of his daughter. Since a deep affection has developed between the doctor and his patient, the two eventually marry. Their married bliss fuels the envy of professor Speiter who believes he can uncover dark points from the doctor's past. But Praetorius succeeds in refuting all allegations before a court of honor with wit and astonishing revelations.

Goetz's production has been noted for highlighting the particularly tragicomic and melancholic moments of the play. Humanistic values are emphasized and the issues of abortion and capital punishment are critically examined. In addition, Goetz gives prominence to the protagonist's elusive search for the microbe of human stupidity, which he believes to be the cause of envy, hatred and war.