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.
Nimm Dich in Acht vor blonden Frau'n
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Nimm dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen
Sie haben so etwas Gewisses!
Ist ihnen nicht gleich anzuschauen
Aber irgend etwas ist es!
Ein kleines Blickgeplänkel sei erlaubt dir!!
Doch denke immer: Achtung vor dem Raubtier.
Die haben so etwas Gewisses!
Nimm dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen
Sie haben so etwas Gewisses!
Ist ihnen nicht gleich anzuschauen
Aber irgend etwas ist es!
Ein kleines Blickgeplänkel sei erlaubt dir!!
Doch denke immer: Achtung vor dem Raubtier.
Nimm dich in acht vor blonden Frauen,
Die haben so etwas Gewisses!
The lyrics to Marlene Dietrich's "Nimm Dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen" warn of the danger and allure of blonde women. The first two lines suggest that there is something mysterious or alluring about these women that is not immediately apparent upon first glance. This is reinforced in the following lines which warn the listener to be cautious and aware of the potential danger posed by these women, comparing them to predatory animals. The repetition of these lines serves to emphasize the warning and cautionary message of the song.
The lyrics also suggest that while there is a certain danger associated with blonde women, there is also a temptation that cannot be ignored. The phrase "Ein kleines Blickgeplänkel sei erlaubt dir" (a small glance may be allowed to you) implies that the listener may be tempted to engage with these women despite the risks. However, the warning to be "always on guard" and "nimm dich in acht" (take care) serves as a reminder that engaging with these women carries risks.
Overall, the lyrics of "Nimm Dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen" caution against letting one's guard down when it comes to blonde women, emphasizing both their allure and their danger.
Line by Line Meaning
Nimm dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen
Be cautious of blonde women
Sie haben so etwas Gewisses!
They possess a certain something!
Ist ihnen nicht gleich anzuschauen
It's not immediately apparent
Aber irgend etwas ist es!
But it's definitely something
Ein kleines Blickgeplänkel sei erlaubt dir!!
A quick flirtatious glance is permitted
Doch denke immer: Achtung vor dem Raubtier.
But always remember: beware of the predator.
Nimm dich in acht vor blonden Frauen,
Be cautious of blonde women
Die haben so etwas Gewisses!
They possess a certain something!
Nimm dich in Acht vor blonden Frauen
Be cautious of blonde women
Sie haben so etwas Gewisses!
They possess a certain something!
Ist ihnen nicht gleich anzuschauen
It's not immediately apparent
Aber irgend etwas ist es!
But it's definitely something
Ein kleines Blickgeplänkel sei erlaubt dir!!
A quick flirtatious glance is permitted
Doch denke immer: Achtung vor dem Raubtier.
But always remember: beware of the predator.
Nimm dich in acht vor blonden Frauen,
Be cautious of blonde women
Die haben so etwas Gewisses!
They possess a certain something!
Writer(s): Richard Rillo Loebe, Frederick Hollander, Friedrich Hollaender, Richard Rillo
Contributed by Jackson T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Janette Walker
I love it - such a great recording.
Michael Schuenemann
A FANTASTIC CLASSIC - BRINGS BACK MEMORIES INDEED !
kimmy loves vintage
My baby! Marlene forever! Beautiful song!!!
•The Divine Marlene Dietrich•
Es wird mich immer aufmuntern! Auch nach 92 Jahren! Ich liebe Marlene!
jonjamg
You didn't metion - Friedrich Hollaender und seine Jazz-Symphoniker (Die Weintraubs) His Master's Voice AM 2685 BLR 6035-II Recorded in berlin on 6th February 1930 - it is just class!
Oldworker99
The Best star in the world in 30-40-th of the 20 century! THE PERSON!
Aleks Sergeev🇦🇹
XX века.
Preman Tilson
She also made an English-language version ("Blonde Women") which is on Youtube. The German is SO much better.
Maxime Jacoby
Wunderbar !
peters field
My hero she send me an Autogramm from Paris in 1990 i am lucky and proud of her sending