Pandora’s Legacy review – fascinating profile of silent film legend GW Pabst

Angela Christlieb's documentary, "Pandora's Legacy," offers a deeply probing examination of the Austrian silent film director Georg Wilhelm Pabst, a towering figure in the cinematic landscape of Weimar Germany. Pabst, a filmmaker whose work often championed the marginalized and explored complex social themes, is celebrated for launching the careers of iconic actresses. His 1925 film, "The Joyless Street," provided Greta Garbo, who would become one of Hollywood's most enduring stars, with her second lead role, a crucial step in her early career. Furthermore, Pabst's collaborations with American actress Louise Brooks on "Pandora's Box" (1929) and "Diary of a Lost Girl" (1929) cemented her international stardom and are now considered seminal works of the silent era. These films, characterized by their progressive spirit and attention to societal undercurrents, flourished in the relatively liberal atmosphere of pre-Nazi Germany, a period that would soon be overshadowed by political upheaval.

"Pandora's Legacy" eschews a purely celebratory approach, instead delving into Pabst's personal archives, including intimate letters and family albums, to construct a more multifaceted portrait of the man. Through interviews with his descendants – grandchildren Marion, Daniel, and Ben – the documentary brings to light a more complicated and, at times, troubling private life. The film reveals Pabst as a patriarchal figure, with his grandchildren describing him as a distant father who instilled fear rather than affection in his two sons. This personal dynamic stands in stark contrast to the strong, modern female characters often lauded in his cinematic output. In his private life, Pabst reportedly suppressed his wife, Gertrude Pabst's, own aspirations to pursue an acting career. The documentary also unearths the profound personal sacrifices Gertrude made, including reluctantly undergoing seven abortions to ensure her husband's career was not impeded. The title, "Pandora's Legacy," aptly suggests the film's intention to unearth complex truths, much like the mythological Pandora's box, revealing both the brilliance of Pabst's artistic achievements and the darker, more personal costs associated with his life and relationships. This intimate exploration aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of Pabst's enduring legacy, acknowledging his significant contributions to cinema while critically examining the human dimension and the personal compromises that may have underpinned his professional success.