In 1919, German film director Richard Oswald directed, produced and co-wrote the movie Anders als die Andern (Different from the Others), which is the first movie to present a sympathetic view of gays in film.
The movie centers on Paul Korner (played by Conrad Veldt), a successful violinist who falls in love with one of his students, Kurt Sivers (played by cutie Fritz Schulz). Their relationship is discovered by an acquaintance of Korner, Franz Bollek (played by Reinhold Schunzel), who in turn blackmails Korner.
Korner agrees to pay him but keeps it a secret from Sivers. Unfortunately, Sivers finds out when Korner decides to stop the blackmail payments and a fight with Bollek ensues. Sivers disappears, going it alone. I doubt if this was meant to be but the fight is a bit of comic relief.
Korner is inconsolable without Sivers and tries to 'cure' himself with hypnotherapy, but it is just a scam. He attends a lecture with Sivers' sister Else. The Doctor (played by Magnus Hirschfeld) talks about homosexuality and other similar topics, about how it is not a mental condition but determined physically.
Korner reports Bollek for blackmail but is arrested himself. In retaliation, Bollek outs Korner. The Doctor testifies on behalf of Korner. The judge is sympathetic toward Korner and sentences him to a week in prison. Bollek is sentenced to 3 years for his crime.
Afterward, Korner finds out he has been ostracized and rejected by his friends and family. He is no longer employable so he commits suicide. Kurt Sivers hears about his death and rushes to his side, but Korner's family blames him for his suicide.
Sivers decides to kill himself, too, but the Doctor stops him delivering a final speech:
"You have to keep living; live to change the prejudices by which this man has been made one of the countless victims. ... [Y]ou must restore the honor of this man and bring justice to him, and all those who came before him, and all those to come after him. Justice through knowledge!"
I watched the movie on Youtube (with Italian narration) and found it to be somewhat ahead of its time. Especially currently, we seem to have fallen backwards to more primitive times. One of the lines from the movie talks about how Napoleonic code laws against homosexuality were dropped after the French Revolution since they were seen as a violation of fundamental human rights.
Another that stuck with me:
May justice prevail on this grave injustice, so science defeats superstition, and love wins over hatred.
Isn't that awesome!
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