[LEN-E] Legendary Sin Cities: Berlin

[Ron Koster]

Last week, the CBC (here in Canada) began a re-broadcast of their 
"Legendary Sin Cities" series of documentaries. It's a 3-part series 
about Paris, Berlin and Shanghai in the 1920s and '30s.

Tonight is the Berlin episode (last week was Paris, next week is 
Shanghai) and although there's no mention of Leni at all in it -- I 
guess she wasn't "sinful" enough ;) -- it's still extremely 
insightful about what Berlin was like during Leni's youth. Indeed, 
one can easily understand her father's apprehension when she 
expressed interest in becoming a dancer -- I'm sure that if I was the 
father of a young daughter in that time, I'd be very worried, too! ;)

I don't know how many people here live in Canada (or have access to 
the CBC via satellite), but below is the CBC's description for the 
show, including a link to their site for more information, where one 
can also purchase this documentary on DVD. Even sans-Leni, it's 
*really* worth catching, if you can!

Ron :)


>LEGENDARY SIN CITIES

>Of all the remarkable events of this century perhaps the most 

>fascinating has been the spontaneous growth, flowering and then 

>decay of a handful of great cities. These cities were places where 

>art, culture and political liberties co-mingled with corruption, 

>brutality and decadence. Everything and just about anyone could be 

>bought and sold. The immigrant would struggle beside the artist. 

>Gamblers, thieves and prostitutes co-habited with soul-savers, the 

>rich and the powerful.

>

>The exhilarating combination of the seamy with the sublime made 

>these places a magnet for all the lost souls and refugees of the 

>world. Pushing the limits of tolerance and freedom, they defined the 

>social, political and sexual culture of the 20 th century. Their 

>names ring out: Paris of the '20s, Berlin of the '20s and '30s and 

>Shanghai of the '30s. In the period between the wars, these were the 

>LEGENDARY SIN CITIES of the world.

>

>Read more reviews, a filmmaker bio and visit a photogallery of 

>pictures from the 20's and 30's.

>http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/sincities/

>Series starts on Wednesday April 18 at 10pm PT on CBC Newsworld