“I can resist everything except adaptation”. Lubitsch’s speechless Wilde
Keywords:
adaptation, Oscar Wilde, Ernst Lubitsch, Lady Windermere’s Fan, inter-titlesAbstract
This essay begins with a reflection on the so-called Lubitsch touch and considers some of its features drawing on Weinberg’s (1968) traditional definition as well as on more recent contributions by Thompson (2005) and McBride (2018). The following section examines some specific cases concerning sound films but reminiscent of Lubitsch’s early production. The aim of this reflection on the Lubitsch touch is to investigate the 1925 adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan in the light of some of Lubitsch stylistic features. Lubitsch’s adaptation of Wilde’s play did not make any room for the play’s verbal witticisms but tried to recreate Wilde’s style employing the language of silent films. The essay therefore analyses the relationship between the two authors with reference to certain shared elements, such as their sophisticated style, the groundbreaking portrayal of gender relations, and the reflection on appearances and morality.
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