August Der Starke on AllMovie

King August the Strong was how this German historical pageant was billed in English-speaking countries. Michael Bohnen, a popular opera singer of the period, stars as the famed Saxon king of the title. August spends the better part of the picture fighting with King Charles of Sweden (Gunther Handack) over the possession of Poland. Charles is ultimately defeated by the Russians, allowing August to stake his claim in Polish terror. In essence, August Der Starke seems to advocate the subjugation of another country for the glory of the Fatherland (ironically, Germany's 20th-century invasion of Poland would serve as the spark for WWII). Beyond its propagandistic content, the film boasts several lavish "bacchanal" scenes, an apparent specialty of noted actor-director Paul Wegener.