Marlene was known in school for her "bedroom eyes" and her first affairs were at this stage in her life - a professor at the school was terminated.
Marlene enjoyed music and attended concerts. She was adept at playing the violin and piano. By the time she was in her mid-teens, Marlene had discovered the stage. Acting was to be her vocation. In 1921, Marlene applied for an acting school run by Max Reinhardt. She was accepted. She appeared in several stage productions, but never had more than a couple of spoken lines. In short, she wasn't setting the stage world on fire.
She attempted films for the first time in 1922 Her first film was So sind die Männer (The Little Napoleon) (1923) which was followed by Tragödie der Liebe (Love Tragedy) (1923). On this last project, she met Rudolf Sieber and married him in 1924. The union lasted until his death in 1976 although they didn't live together the whole time.
The remainder of her early film career was generally filled with bit roles. After being seen in the German production of Der blaue Engel (The Blue Angel) (1930) in 1930, Marlene was given a crack at Hollywood. Her first US film was Morocco (1930) with Gary Cooper, which was followed by Dishonored (1931). This latter movie had her cast as a street walker who is appointed a spy. The film was rather boring but was a success because of Marlene's presence. In 1932, Marlene filmed Shanghai Express (1932) which proved to be immensely popular, grossing $3 million. Once again, she was cast as a prostitute. The next film was Blonde Venus (1932) which turned out to be a horrible production. Her co-star was Cary Grant and once again she was cast as a prostitute.
During this period Dietrich had been typecast as a woman of low morals and she wanted different parts. Her chance came in 1939 in Destry Rides Again (1939) when she was cast as "Frenchy", a Western saloon hostess. This began a new direction for Marlene since it shed the previous typecasting. All through the 1940s, she appeared in well-produced, well-directed films such as Manpower (1942), The Spoilers (1942), The Lady Is Willing (1942) and Pittsburgh (1942).
Afterwards the roles came less frequently, perhaps one to two films every year. In 1945, Marlene didn't appear in any. She only made seven productions in the 1950's. Her last role of any substance was Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). Despite the lack of theatrical roles, Marlene still made appearances on the stage. However, by 1979, she was a shell of her former self. After breaking her leg in one performance, she never made a go of it in show business again.
Spending the last 12 years of her life bed-ridden, Marlene died on May 6, 1992 in Paris, France of kidney failure at the age of 90.
Cherche la rose
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dans le sable du désert
Sur les dunes de la mer
Et tant pis si tu te perds,
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Aux lucarnes des prisons
Où l'on rêve de pardon
Où se meurt une chanson
Sous les mousses, les orties
Dans les flaques de la pluie
Sur les tombes qu'on oublie
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Où s'attristent les faubourgs
Chez l'aveugle, chez le sourd
Où la nuit rêve du jour
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Au fond de ton cœur meurtri
Où la source se tarit
Où dans l'ombre monte un cri
Cherche la rose
Et battant tous les pavés
Si tu n' l'a point trouvée
Tu l'auras au moins rêvée
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Cherche la rose {la rose}
La rose {la rose}
La rose {la rose}
La rose {la rose}
La rose {la rose}...
The song "Cherche la rose" by Marlene Dietrich is a melancholic exploration of the symbolic and metaphorical value of the rose. Throughout the lyrics, the rose is associated with beauty, hope, and relief, and serves as a guiding light for the lost and heartbroken. The song begins by mentioning the rose in the context of the desert, where it stands out against the barren landscape as a sign of life and vitality. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, which encourages the listener to keep searching for the rose no matter where they are or how hopeless their situation may seem.
As the song progresses, the rose is mentioned in various other settings, each with their own symbolic significance. It is found in the windows of prisons, representing the hope for redemption and forgiveness. It is hidden amongst the moss and nettles, symbolizing the resilience of nature and the possibility of finding beauty in unexpected places. It is even found in the depths of one's own heart, where it can serve as a beacon of hope and light in the midst of darkness and despair.
The song's message is ultimately one of perseverance and hope, encouraging the listener to never give up on their quest for beauty and joy in life. It suggests that even when things seem bleak and hopeless, there is always the possibility of finding a rose, a symbol of hope and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
{La rose, la rose}
The rose, the rose
Dans le sable du désert
In the desert sand
Sur les dunes de la mer
On the dunes of the sea
Et tant pis si tu te perds,
And too bad if you get lost,
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
Aux lucarnes des prisons
In the prison skylights
Où l'on rêve de pardon
Where one dreams of forgiveness
Où se meurt une chanson
Where a song dies
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
Sous les mousses, les orties
Under moss, nettles
Dans les flaques de la pluie
In rain puddles
Sur les tombes qu'on oublie
On forgotten graves
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
Où s'attristent les faubourgs
Where the suburbs are saddened
Chez l'aveugle, chez le sourd
With the blind, with the deaf
Où la nuit rêve du jour
Where the night dreams of day
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
Au fond de ton cœur meurtri
In the depths of your wounded heart
Où la source se tarit
Where the source dries up
Où dans l'ombre monte un cri
Where a cry rises in the darkness
Cherche la rose
Search for the rose
Et battant tous les pavés
And pounding all the pavement
Si tu n' l'a point trouvée
If you haven't found it yet
Tu l'auras au moins rêvée
At least you will have dreamed it
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
Cherche la rose {la rose}
Search for the rose {the rose}
La rose {la rose}
The rose {the rose}
La rose {la rose}
The rose {the rose}
La rose {la rose}
The rose {the rose}
La rose {la rose}...
The rose {the rose}...
Contributed by Ryan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@clairedunning4097
PJ brought me here, and I'm so glad he did,
@GabrielLessa12
Who is pj
@corvuspika
Gabriel Lessa KickThePJ!
@Pensi0nar
"How English sounds to non-English speakers" video. Awesome song!
@lani-fb9ct
Pensi0nar same!!!
@dustymcpherson986
Im grateful for that video bringing me this exquisite tune. :)
@cf5894
I find myself watching that video every other year for some reason. Lol
@campodemarte4352
The only thing that I understood about that video 😂
@jxell928
Yoooo😂
@sebastienjoulia2077
Je suis une personne non-voyante. Quelle voix ! Qu’est-ce que j’aurais aimé la connaître mais malheureusement j’étais trop jeune.