If nothing else, The President (Das President) was undeniably an "international" production: it was filmed in Germany, with a Russian leading man (
Ivan Mosjoukine) and an Italian director (Gennaro Righelli). The early portions of the film set out to satirize the quicksilver political conditions in Europe, with several jibes aimed at Italy's Mussolini. The story proper begins when Mosjoukine is introduced as a country bumpkin who comes to the Big City, rents a tuxedo, and accidentally crashes a political convention. Mistaken for a candidate, our hero is cajoled into delivering a nonsensical speech -- whereupon the audience cheers hysterically. Several lucky breaks later, our hero is elected president, at which point he becomes the target of every political assassin in Europe. The Candide-like protagonist not only escapes this dilemma, but emerges from the experience more popular than ever! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide