Sie, und die Drei (1922)

Henny Porten (1890-1960) was the star of the German silent comedy Sie, und die Drei/She and the Three (1922), written by Max Jungk and Julius Urgiss and directed by well-known director E.A. Dupont. With her film company Henny Porten-Film, the sturdy and blond actress also was the producer of the film.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 652/1. Photo: Henny Porten-Film. Henny Porten in Sie und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922). The man on the right could be Jakob Tiedtke.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 652/2. Photo: Henny Porten-Film. Henny Porten in Sie und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 652/3. Photo: Henny Porten-Film. Henny Porten in Sie und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922).

A celebrated film diva arrested

Henny Porten stars in the German silent comedy Sie, und die Drei/She and the Three (1922) as Lia Lona, a celebrated film diva. One day, when she receives a certificate from a film club that bears her name in her honour, she thinks the man who wants to give her the diploma is a thief. Then things start to get turbulent.

On a riding train, she pulls the emergency brake while escaping and is then arrested. The charge: gross mischief! Lia has to face five days' arrest for her hasty action.

But for the film diva, the punishment turns into an amusing and lively change from everyday acting. She can also cleverly instruct her film team to use this "Vacation from the Self" for the production of semi-documentary shots that she plans to incorporate into her next film.

The Three in the title, Sie, und die Drei, refers to three men around her: the Sweet One (Hermann Thimig), the Stormy One (Robert Stolz), and the Unknown One (Jacob Tiedtke). The film had additionally an all-star cast of Weimar actors: Blandine Ebinger as the maid, Karl Huszár-Puffy as a film director, and Hermann Picha, Oscar Sabo, Kurt Vespermann, Curt Bois, Fritz Schulz, Toni Zimmerer, Emil Albes, etc.

The film sets and costumes were designed by Ludwig Kainer. Porten's husband Wilhelm von Kaufmann was the production manager. Max Reichmann assisted director Dupont. Sie, und die Drei was shot in the Spring of 1922 and had its premiere on 23 July 1922 at the Berlin cinema Ufa-Palast am Zoo.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 652/4. Photo: Henny Porten-Film. Henny Porten in Sie, und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 652/5. Photo: Henny Porten Film. Henny Porten and Hermann Thimig in Sie und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 652/6. Photo: Henny Porten-Film. Henny Porten in Sie, und die Drei (E.A. Dupont, 1922).

Sources: Wikipedia (German and English) and IMDb.