Review of Meyer from Berlin

"Meyer aus Berlin" or "Meyer from Berlin" is a German film from 1919, so this one will soon have its 100th anniversary. The director here is Ernst Lubitsch, still in his 20s at that point and quite a while before his Hollywood breakthrough. Lubitsch also plays one of the central characters and the script comes from a duo including Hanns Kräly, Lubitsch's longtime collaborator and later even an Academy Award winner. Maybe people who really know and love old German films may recognize some of the actors in here, but you probably need to be a massive fan of the black-and-white silent era as with the film's age, there are obviously neither sound nor color in here. This film is basically what romantic comedies looked like a century ago here in Germany. I think there are many weak ones nowadays, but those suck for completely different reasons than this one here. But a problem, both may have in common is the lack of realism at times. Coincidence is always an important factor for me in these films and it has to feel somewhat realistic and I cannot say that this is a case here. That's why even solid actors like Lubitsch or Oswalda can eventually not save the film from becoming a disappointment and I was mostly glad it runs for under an hour only and not much longer. There are some solid moments without a doubt, but all in all it is just not enough and the references about the current objects of affection of the protagonists feel pretty random at times, rushed in at others and just bizarre sometimes too. I wish I could, but I cannot give this film a thumbs-up. Admittedly, I am probably not the biggest black-and-white silent film fan, so my perception may be a bit biased. If you love these films more than I do, maybe it's still worth checking out for you. Just do yourself a favor and don't expect any kind of greatness, so you won't be disappointed.