MovieChat Forums > Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) Discussion > A Trip To Tilsit

A Trip To Tilsit

posted 17 years ago by mmmarjory
7 replies | jump to latest

...Anyone ever come across a copy of Sudermann's original Story..Its a Short story isn't it?..Or how about the german film..Journey to Tilsit?..

[–] zoolzool 17 years ago

I have been unable to find either. The story is in German and I haven't had any luck finding a translated version. Same thing with the movie. The Trip To Tilsit is the title for the USA, but I haven't found it on DVD, nor have I found any release information. I'd love to see and/or read the original story.

I do however have a bit of information about the story......

*************SPOILER***************

The main difference between Sunrise and the original story is the ending. The man dies. It's a little more than that actually. I read that the man does a heroic act and saves his wife at the cost of his own life. I don't know about you, but I thank God Murnau didn't go that route.

[–] ziggyfeinstein 17 years ago

Go to your local library and see if you can put in an interlibrary loan for:

The excursion to Tilsit /
Hermann Sudermann; Lewis Galantière

1930
English Book : Fiction 371 p. ; 20 cm.
New York : H. Liveright,

. .

and you are quite right about the spoiler. The story is quite different from the film. It is also very local - the characters are Lithuanians and not generalized "European peasants" as they are in the film.

It's a good story, but the film is better.

[–] zoolzool 17 years ago

As far as my library system goes, they don't carry the book. I'm in Albuquerque so that's to be expected. I found the german version on barnes and nobel's website, but it's not available for order online nor is it in the store. I didn't check if it could be ordered. I've only seen it on Amazon used for $99.00! If anyone comes across the book or movie please let me know!

[–] ziggyfeinstein 17 years ago

Your local system might not, but ask about an Interlibrary Loan! (Sometimes public libraries don't publicize this service, but they normally offer it.) The library can get the book for you from anywhere in the country. And there are over 120 libraries in the United States which do have this book.

[–] mmmarjory 17 years ago

...ah yes..the good 'ol Library..seems like the logical way to go to find something rare, out of print ..and probably not much in demand for re-release..I'm also glad the film dosen't have the same ending as the book..but then the book is not called Sunrise either,which would seem to imply, new beginnings...

[–] zoolzool 17 years ago

Thank you very much for clarifying! I went to my local library and they are able to get it. Most of the libraries it was found in were university libraries in different states. Not a one was in either of the university libraries here in NM.

Anyway once I read it I'll give my review.

[–] ziggyfeinstein 17 years ago

Glad it worked! The story is short enough that if you want, you could photocopy or scan it and save it.

You will find that it differs in many ways from the film - the woman from the city is a servant girl instead for one thing. You can see that Mayer and Murnau really just used the story as a "jumping-off" point for their own, quite different-feeling film.