Frames of Münchhausen

In my opinion there are two frame devices that have to be regarded watching Münchhausen. The first one is circumstances under which it was produced: for the 25th anniversary of the UFA film studios in the year 1943. It was the first German movie in color and one of the most expensive ones until then. Its purpose was to compete with other international movies and color and show how good the German film production is. It was not a propaganda film but was rather for entertainment in order to distract the German people from the war and the losses their army suffered from at this time.

The other frame is the frame inside of the movie. The fantastic story of Münchhausen who is supposed to have lived in the 18th century is told by one of his remaining relatives who lives in approximately the 1930-40s. Or at least the audience is made to believe that in the beginning. But with the ongoing plot the audience slowly gets the idea that the narrator is actually Münchhausen, when they learn that he was given eternal youth by a magician. Only the couple he tells the story to on reality does not seem to notice it and is surprised and shocked when he finally confesses that he is Münchhausen himself. However, in the end, reality and fantasy merge and therewith provide the possibility of a little “magic” also in the audience’s life. The movie therewith suggests distraction from the daily reality and offers a dream of better times that could become reality - and therewith fulfills its purpose of distracting people at least for short from the hard times they had to went through.