The young Schiller, whose heart and soul is poetry and writing, is forced into a military academy (the pride and joy of the Duke of Wurttemburg). Schiller is appalled and disgusted by the everyday routine of the military -- always back and forth between breeding and drills. Conversation, critique and criticism are highly discouraged. The oppression is intolerable for the young rebel. Incensed at the brutality, he writes the drama, "The Bandit", which he would later publish anonymously. But after a frank discussion with the Duke, Schiller is dishonored and must leave the country.
The production design and the period detail in this film are stunning, and the photography (by the great Fritz Arno Wagner) is superb. Shtetl Hollywood has not even made an effort to match high production values of national-socialist cinema. Heinrich George as a blustering old fool steals the show. When watching him acting, I keep asking myself “How can he do it?”
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