The Emperor of California

The Emperor of California (German: Der Kaiser von Kalifornien) is a 1936 German film of the Western genre. It's notable as the first Western released in Nazi Germany.

Overview
The film is a biographical picture of John Sutter during the California Gold Rush. John August Sutter was a German born Swiss immigrant to the United States who became famours for Sutter's Fort, and Sutter's Mill- but also for his failed financial ventures during the Gold Rush. The film stays mostly true to the life story of Sutter save in a few details. Those being that the film has Johann keep the name Johann longer then he did historically and it puts more emphasis on his German heritage rather his Swiss culture. The film maintains Johann's positive friendship with the Native Americans of the region (the Maidu) and portrays the natives in a more positive light then American films of the same decade. As historically noted Sutter's venture into gold proves his undoing with the film putting emphasis on the lure of quick money with Sutter's decline being a vehicle to display the social degregation and lose of solidarity brought on by greed. This is contrasted with Johann's success, and admirable standing, at Sutter's Mill prior to an employee discovering Gold on the premise.

Detailed Plot
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Production
The film was shot in the United States in Arizona, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona,

Cast

 * Luis Trenker as Johann August Sutter
 * Viktoria von Ballasko as Anna, seine Frau
 * Werner Kunig as Rudolf - beider Sohn
 * Karli Zwingmann as Emil - beider Sohn
 * Elise Aulinger as Frau Dübol - Annas Mutter
 * Bernhard Minetti as Der Fremde
 * Hans Zesch-Ballot as Gouverneur Alvaredo
 * Marcella Albani as Seine Frau
 * Walter Franck Castro - sein Adjutant
 * Reinhold Pasch as Marshall (as Reginald Pasch)
 * August Eichhorn as Harper
 * Luis Gerold as Ermatinger
 * Paul Verhoeven as Barmixer Billy
 * Melanie Horeschowsky as Amalie - Sutters Schwester (as Melanie Horeschovsky)
 * Berta Drews as Chansonette
 * Alexander Golling as Kewen - Bürgermeister von San Franzisko
 * Heinrich Marlow as Gerichtspräsident Thompson
 * Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Bankier
 * Otto Stoeckel as Bankier (as Otto Stockel)
 * Bruno Ziener as Bankier
 * Josef Reithofer as Polizeirat
 * Jakob Sinn as Wachtmeister
 * Erich Dunskus as Smith, Casinobesitzer
 * Armin Schweizer as Fuhrknecht

Crew

 * Director and Writer: Luis Trenker

Reception
The Emperor of California won the 1936 Mussilini Cup for best foriegn film at the Venice Film Festival.