The Emperor of California... should have just stayed home?

The Emperor of California allows for a wide range of interpretations, depending on how one chooses to view the film contextually. Is it a western? This notion is confirmed by the masculine efforts that dominate the entire film, as this beacon of ruggedness ventures first across the ocean (although this process is very tackily avoided) and then across the United States, with the wild west being his destination. The natural scenery establishes purity in contrast to, for example, the dark and dirty atmosphere of the bar, when the news of the gold first gets out. From mountain climbing to simply laboring vigorously, we see unparalleled daringness displayed by Trenker until his tragic death.

Looking at the film as a piece of Nazi propaganda, the message is less clearly recognizable. On the one hand, Trenker’s departure from his Heimat ultimately leads to his death. Assuming his home in the mountains of Europe is where he belongs, his Heimat, the audience gets the impression that even the most rigorous attempts to establish a quality life in a foreign place will not suffice. The outside world is simply too corrupt. The murder of his two sons shows how brutal life can be, especially when one considers how quickly this event occurs; they had initially waited years to come and join their father, however are unable to live peacefully in this new place. Despite this, I was unable to entirely buy into the idea that all of his efforts were in vain, and thus I am not sure about how to perceive the Nazi ideology present in the film. Although he fails to survive and see the rebirth of the burned and destroyed city, one still sees a triumphant San Francisco at the end.

This film is not limited to these views, however. In the context of Trenker’s works, the Emperor of California fulfills every expectation. Trenker plays a central and adventurous role. He ventures away from home in search of something better, but fails to accomplish what he set out to do. His death and the burning of the city make it apparent that it was a mistake to leave in the first place. The cinematography also helps to establish these views, as he is often shown conquering beautiful, vast landscapes. No matter how one analyzes this film, interesting observations are bound to come up. If nothing else, it is an interesting and thought-provoking work.