Not even all professional art critics will remember the name of Marika Rökk. Meanwhile, she was a world star. Charming woman. Beauty. A talented actress and dancer. It is enough to brush off the dust of decades and get real pleasure from contemplation and listening. Not everyone will understand. Not everyone will appreciate it. Elite art is accessible to sophisticated natures. True aesthetes.
Saving czardash
Young Russians have little interest in history. Business, sex, comedy club - this is a meager set of their interests and entertainment. And there is no one to blame for this, since the native country voluntarily chose degradation as the main vector of movement. And the story of the inimitable Marika Rökk will be perceived as an old and naive fairy tale. Yes, her biography really looks like a legend from "1001 Nights" with elements of thriller and detective. According to reports, the girl was born on November 3, 1913 in the Arab city of Cairo.
The child was born into the family of a Hungarian architect with worldwide authority. It was during this period that Edward Roekk was completing a contract for the construction of a luxury hotel in the capital of Egypt. Upon completion of the work, the family returned to Budapest, where they lived on a permanent basis. Marika never knew the need in childhood. She was brought up within the established traditions strictly and purposefully. The main feature of this approach was that the girl did not spend time in idleness. It has been known since ancient times that idleness is the mother of all vices.
As soon as Marika's skeleton got stronger, she was sent to an elementary choreographic school. The education of children should be taken seriously. It was for this purpose that Ryokki moved to Paris, where the best professional choreography school in Europe was located. The year was 1924, when the largest bank in Hungary, as they say, burst. All family savings turned to dust. To maintain the old way of life and not fall into poverty, Marika's mother donated her jewelry to the pawnshop.
At eleven years old, this fact is worth paying attention to, Marika made a mature statement that was not for her age. She was ready to support her family by earning the necessary amount of money dancing. By that time, the girl had already mastered the dance technique enough, and the Hungarian folk dance "czardas" was the best one for her. It took a lot of effort for my father to agree to this option. Until that moment, even in a nightmare, the thought did not occur to him that his beloved daughter would grimace vulgarly for the amusement of a tipsy audience.
The girl of a dream
The young dancer was accepted into the ballet troupe, which performed on the stage of the famous European cabaret "Moulin Rouge". And this was only the beginning, which made it possible to learn from our own experience how the backstage lives and what orders are established here. Her professional career as a dancer began with a long tour of US cities. As a member of the group "Hoffmann Girls" Marika has demonstrated her unique abilities for four years. But all good things come to an end - in 1929, America was hit by a crisis. It's time to go home.
Here in Europe, she is remembered, loved and expected. The tour schedule is tight. There is no more creativity left in the work. It is enough to use skills and impeccable technique of movements. And then, in 1930, Marika Rökk was invited to act in films. One reason is that sound has come to cinematography. The characteristic and expressive actresses of silent pictures are no longer in demand. The directors demand other qualities from the performers, first of all the voice. She played an episodic role well.
In 1933 she was entrusted with the main role in the film "Train of Ghosts". This comedy opens the door to the world of cinema for Marike Rökk. The new love captivates the actress, and she tries not to let the directors and viewers down. At the same time, experienced screenwriters try to use its potential 100%. In almost every tape, Ryokk performs a temperamental or flowing dance. It seems to others that intense loads do not tire the actress at all. After the film "Light Cavalry", the doors of all film studios in Germany were opened for her.
For three years, Marika starred in ten films. This record lasted for many years. But finally, in 1940, she becomes the wife of the German director Georg Jacobi. He takes great care of his property and films his beloved actress only in the main roles. Meanwhile, a new technological breakthrough is taking place in the cinema - the pictures are becoming colored. The cost of filming increases significantly. The number of duplicates decreases accordingly. The responsibility of the actors is increasing.
In 1944, Marika Rökk starred in the color comedy Girl of My Dreams. The history of this painting deserves special attention. After the Victory in 1945, this film, among other trophies, was delivered to the Soviet Union. Rumor has it that Stalin himself watched the tape. I looked and allowed to show the picture in all cinemas of the country. It should be noted that people of the older generation remember this light, funny film. In this context, it is important to note that Rökk did not take part in the filming of propaganda materials during the Nazi regime. This saved her.
Last years
At the beginning of 1945, all work at the film studios was curtailed. The war came to the territory of Germany. The actress had to go through several years of creative stagnation. And only in 1948 she was able to return to her beloved profession. In the early fifties, Jacobi resumes work as a director and continues to film his wife. The audience remembered the color picture "Child of the Danube" with her participation. The husband and wife continue to collaborate and delight the audience.
Even judging by this brief summary, we can conclude that the personal life of Marika Rökk has developed happily. In a marriage with Georg Jacobi, a son and a daughter were born. The actress herself led an active lifestyle until the very end and performed on stage. She died at the age of 90 from a heart attack.
