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.
Symphonie
Marlene Dietrich Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Symphonie d′un jour
Qui chante toujours
Dans mon cœur lourd
Symphonie
D'un soir de printemps
Cest toi que j′entends
Depuis longtemps
Tes accords ont gardé leur parfum
Je revois des souvenirs défunts
Symphonie, symphonie
Je revois les rideaux fanés
Que pour nous aimer
Tu as fermé
Dans la nuit
Tout comme autrefois
Il traîne par toi
Un peu de toi
Et les mots et le son de ta voix
Maintenant, je le retrouve en moi
C'est fini, c'est fini
Et j′entends grande à l′infinie
Comme une harmonie
Ma symphonie, ma symphonie
Oh, mon amour!
The song "Symphonie" by Marlene Dietrich is a nostalgic reflection on a love that was once shared, set to the melancholic melody of a symphony. The first stanza describes the constant presence of the symphony in the singer's heavy heart. It is a symphony of a spring evening, one that the singer has heard for a long time. The second stanza reminisces about memories that have been preserved in the chords of the symphony, including the tattered curtains that the lovers closed to give themselves privacy. The third stanza speaks of the present, where the singer hears echoes of the symphony in her own thoughts and voice. She concludes that the love is over, but the symphony lives on within her.
The lyrics of "Symphonie" evoke a sense of nostalgia and yearning for a past love that is both painful and beautiful. The symphony, with its sweeping orchestration and haunting melody, serves as a metaphor for the memory of the love that the singer has lost. The song conveys a sense of wistful regret and a longing to hold onto the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Symphonie
The song is a representation of a symphony
Symphonie d'un jour
It is a symphony of a day that keeps playing
Qui chante toujours
It sings forever
Dans mon cœur lourd
Inside my heavy heart
Symphonie
The song is a representation of a symphony
D'un soir de printemps
Representative of a spring evening
Cest toi que j'entends
It is you who I hear
Depuis longtemps
For a long time
Tes accords ont garde leur parfum
Your chords have kept their fragrance
Je revois des souvenirs defunts
I see some forgotten memories
Symphonie, symphonie
The song is still playing like a symphony
Je revois les rideaux fanes
I remember faded curtains
Que pour nous aimer
That you closed to love me
Tu as ferme
You closed it
Dans la nuit
In the night
Tout comme autrefois
Just like before
Il traîne par toi
It lingers beside you
Un peu de toi
A little bit of you
Et les mots et le son de ta voix
And the words and sound of your voice
Maintenant, je le retrouve en moi
I find it in myself now
C'est fini, c'est fini
It's over, it's over
Et j'entends grande a l'infinie
And I hear it loud and endless
Comme une harmonie
Like a harmony
Ma symphonie, ma symphonie
My symphony, my symphony
Oh, mon amour!
Oh, my love!
Writer(s): Stefanie Kloss, Andreas Nowak, Thomas Stolle, Johannes Stolle
Contributed by Alexis D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Dominique Dominik
Symphonie
Symphonie d'un jour
Qui chante toujours
Dans mon cœur lourd
Symphonie
D'un soir de printemps
Cest toi que j'entends
Depuis longtemps
Tes accords ont gardé leur parfum
Je revois des souvenirs défunts
Symphonie, symphonie
Je revois les rideaux fanés
Que pour nous aimer
Tu as fermé
Dans la nuit
Tout comme autrefois
Il traîne par toi
Un peu de toi
Et les mots et le son de ta voix
Maintenant, je le retrouve en moi
C'est fini, c'est fini
Et j'entends grande à l'infinie
Comme une harmonie
Ma symphonie, ma symphonie
Oh, mon amour !
gatabella3
Un magnifico y romantico tributo a Marlene! Gracias, Martin!
LilyMarleneDietrich
Lo miro una y otra vez y no me canso de disfrutarlo y admirarlo! Muchisímas gracias, Martín ;-)))
Dominique Dominik
Symphonie
Symphonie d'un jour
Qui chante toujours
Dans mon cœur lourd
Symphonie
D'un soir de printemps
Cest toi que j'entends
Depuis longtemps
Tes accords ont gardé leur parfum
Je revois des souvenirs défunts
Symphonie, symphonie
Je revois les rideaux fanés
Que pour nous aimer
Tu as fermé
Dans la nuit
Tout comme autrefois
Il traîne par toi
Un peu de toi
Et les mots et le son de ta voix
Maintenant, je le retrouve en moi
C'est fini, c'est fini
Et j'entends grande à l'infinie
Comme une harmonie
Ma symphonie, ma symphonie
Oh, mon amour !
Joaquin Abello
Bellisima cancion.
PettyYou007
Thanks for comment. (Raiwons)
Dominique Dominik
Je vous en prie !
Shhh! I'm Watching Silent Films.
Beautiful video Martin....great editing & mixture of Marlene's films. She looks & sounds wonderful!!★★★★★
Maria del amor Gonzalez
Encantadoras imágenes de Marlene y muy inteligente edición de las mismas. Felicitaciones.
Gil Vicente
Parfait! "Et les mots et le son de ta voix
Maintenant, je les retrouve en moi..."
ricardo castro
MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS POR ESTE VIDEO MARAVILLOSA Y ESA MELODIA QUE TANTO ME ENCANTA, FUE UN BANQUETE VISUAL-AUDITIVO. ADORO A MARLENE