The delightful Johann Strauss comic opera Die Fledermaus was mercilessly lampooned in this truly bizarre production. For starters, a framing device has been added: After appearing in 300 consecutive appearances of Fledermaus (which translates as The Bat) the lead tenor (Georg Alexander) imagines that he's seeing bats everywhere. Driven a bit over the edge by all this, he falls asleep and has a nightmare about the opera, with a group of non-singers cast in the leading roles. The original libretto about romantic assignations, political imprisonments and mistaken identity is burlesqued to the hilt: at one point, the hero finds out that his prison cell is surrounded by rubber tubes!
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
33 people
Lída Baarová
Maria Weigel / Rosalinde
Known for
I Vitelloni
Hans Söhnker
Kammersänger Hans Weigel / Eisenstein
Known for
Sherlock Holmes and the Deadly Necklace
Friedl Czepa
Hanni / Adele
Also in
Das leichte Mädchen
Wirbel um Irene
Jola Jobst
Berta / Ida
Also in
Der Mustergatte
Little Dorrit
Georg Alexander
Staatsanwalt Wentin / Frank
Also in
Your Highness is enjoying herself
Money on the Street
Robert Dorsay
Chauffeur Franz / Alfred
Also in
To New Shores
My Wife, the Pearl
Karel Stepanek
Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
Hans Moser
Hans Moser
Also in
The City without Jews
Opera Ball
Harald Paulsen
Rechtsanwalt Dr. Rommel / Dr.Falke
Also in
Genuine: The Tragedy of a Vampire
Mordsache Holm
Karl Stepanek
Attaché Baranoff / Orlovsky
Known for
Sink the Bismarck!
The Fallen Idol
Hans Stiebner
Kapellmeister
Also in
The Rothschilds
Clothes Make the Man
Otto Graf
Rundfunkreporter
Also in
The Angel and the Lyre
Die Wirtin zum weißen Röss'l
Paul Verhoeven Director · Hans H. Zerlett Director Walter Wassermann Writer
First release October 30, 1937 · Produced in Germany · Production Tobis Filmkunst
Production
Imagoton
Production
Tobis Filmkunst
Production
Germany
Produced in
Languages
Original title
Die Fledermaus
Original language
German
Spoken on screen
German
Release dates
Germany · October 30, 1937
Theatrical
No release date listed for United States.
More from Paul Verhoeven
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked The Bat
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.