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.
Give Me the Man
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who does a thing
Does a thing to my heart
I love the man
Who takes me
Into his hands
And gets what he demands
And when we're alone
By moonlight
Under a big palm tree
Oh give me the man
Who does a thing
Does a thing to me
Give me the man
Who does a thing
Does a thing to my heart
I love the man
Who takes me
Into his hands
And gets what he demands
And when we're alone
By moonlight
Under a big palm tree
Oh give me the man
Who does a thing
Does a thing to me
The song "Give Me the Man" by Marlene Dietrich is a sultry, seductive song about the singer's desire for a man who can truly capture her heart. The lyrics suggest a longing for a man who takes control and knows how to get what he wants from her. The imagery of moonlight and a big palm tree suggests a tropical setting, adding to the exotic and sensual nature of the song.
The repetition of the phrase "does a thing" emphasizes the importance of action rather than words. The singer wants a man who will take action and make her feel something, rather than just paying lip service to his feelings for her. When she says she loves the man who takes her into his hands and gets what he demands, she suggests that she wants a man who is assertive and knows how to take charge.
Overall, "Give Me the Man" is a song about the singer's desire for a passionate, intense relationship with a man who can truly capture her heart and her imagination.
Line by Line Meaning
Give me the man
I want a man, a specific type of man
Who does a thing
Someone who does something, anything at all, to grab my attention
Does a thing to my heart
Something that catches my attention and makes me feel something, usually romantic
I love the man
I deeply care for and have feelings for this man
Who takes me
Someone who leads me, who is in control
Into his hands
Someone who is able to protect me, make me feel safe
And gets what he demands
Someone who is able to get what he wants, who is determined and powerful
And when we're alone
In private, when no one else is around
By moonlight
At night, when it's quiet and magical
Under a big palm tree
In a tropical and serene location
Oh give me the man
I really want this man
Who does a thing
Someone who is proactive and takes action
Does a thing to me
Someone who has the power to make me feel alive and loved
Writer(s): Leo Robin, Karl Hajos
Contributed by Aaliyah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
X X
marvelous !
Andrew Davidhazy
I am not sure if the photograph seen here was accredited to me. I don't recall receiving a request for this use.