Finally by the mid fifties the German film industry decides to use the Technicolor process in there feature , at least Helmut Kuntner decided to use the process. Why the long wait? pleas remember that Europe was late in using technological improvements in the motion picture like stereo and wide screen and 3D because of world war 2.Remember this wasn't in stereo cinema scope but it was their first Technicolor feature.By 1950 when the German film industry was reopen again ,by the government, it was still recovering economically. The closest Technicolor factory was in england. You still had to rent that bulky camera with the prism requiring 3 film magazines . You had to test the scene before you can shoot it ,it was called the Lilllie that and the expensive processing plus waiting on the dailies which could of taken up to two weeks shipment from england back to Germany proved too impractical besides they had agfa color that was expensive enough . Well in 1953 Kodak came up with a way to shoot a single strip of color film and then have dye transfers to be made in the laboratory ,aka 3 strips. This made it no longer necessary to use the bulky camera. Firefox ,1955 was the last film to use the bulky camera. the cost reduction made it more affordable in Germany .The plunge was made. although the first Agfa color feature to be printed in Technicolor was American made ,shot in Germany , by R.K.O., starring Ann Baxter and George Nader, Ludwig was Germany's first. As we all know Ludwig was gay but also had skitzophrenia. This film version disguises this as male affection. He holds men hands hugs them kisses them on the cheek. This was to get by with the now hypocritical homophobic German audiences. Princess Sophie, played by Marrianne Koch, recognizes his illness when she confronts his theater devoted to Richard Wagner. It makes her sick and she calls of the engagement. His true love was Sissie but she already married so they can only be friends. Well, he ends up spending the state's money too much on his palaces and toys . Makes wrong decisions in the state . His aides begin to do it for him.He gets worse that he ends up locking himself up in the palace. worst comes to worst. the Technicolor print was vibrant unlike Agfa color the blues, yellows,red,s were strong . The color was better than the one that was used in the Sissie series. The acting and story was good too. Helmut Kuntner rented the museum for this movie. but due to the expense of the process still it didn't cause German filmmakers to drop Agfa. that was cheaper. Avialble at amazon.de and German language video center on N.T.S.C. V.H.S. Oh yes , there's a young Klaus Kinki in it .
