Scene Analysis: Sexuality in Blue Angel

In Josef von Sternberg’s film Blue Angel, female sexuality is defined through the character Lola Lola. The lead female character is captured using select subject-camera distances that seem to make her appear powerful and in control. The medium shots of Professor Rath and the full shots of Lola Lola during the first “falling in love again” performance are used to compare the emotional male character to the empowered female character, and therefore illustrate the evolving sexual identity of women.
The scene begins with a full shot of Lola Lola performing in front of a large audience. Her posture and attire are fully captured by the camera as she sings to the crowd. With her hands on her hip, she performs confidently in an outfit that emphasizes her figure. The camera suddenly shifts to another full shot following Professor Rath to his reserved seat. Because the beautiful singer mesmerizes him, he must be ushered to his seat above the crowd. Again, a full shot captures the performer before she is interrupted for a formal introduction of Professor Rath.
The first medium shot in this scene shows the Professor wildly looking below at the crowd. A scanning full shot of the crowd is quickly given before returning to a seemingly happy Rath. Once again Lola strolls around the stage with her hands on her hips; the camera follows her as she sits down and sings to the delighted professor. Although the camera zooms in slightly for a three-quarter shot, the viewer is able to see her streamline body, while she enchants the main character.

Rath is filmed from the waist up once more and is visibly consumed by his emotions, while the singer w is captured fully in a slightly seductive position. The camera shifts to a peculiar three-quarter shot of the clown and a musician. From this view, the camera follows the clowns upward gaze as he looks upward at Professor Rath. The camera is slightly distanced from the sitting professor, so the viewer may see a tall sculpture portraying the female body. The Professor becomes visibly uncomfortable by the artwork and awkwardly shifts in his chair until his eyes fall back onto Lola Lola.
The camera then switches back and forth between full shots of the alluring singer and medium shots of the entranced man; she appears to be seducing him confidently from the stage as he bashfully watches from afar. The scene closes with a medium shot of the enthralled professor who has truly been captivated by the brazen performer. Throughout the scene, the female character is distanced more than the performer since she is not as emotionally vulnerable as the male lead. Lola remains in control throughout the entire performance, and she effortlessly evokes a response from the man watching her.
Professor Rath visibly struggles with the decency of the club. Although the woman singing to professor excites him, the man is slightly uncomfortable with certain aspects of Blue Angel. The subject-camera distances used in Lola’s first performance of “Falling in Love Again” adds to the movies theme of female sexuality during the Weimer Republic. Full shots capture Lola’s ability to seduce the old professor, while medium shots emphasize his reactions and emotional response. This scene