When 'The Flame' was released in cinemas in Germany in 1923, director Ernst Lubitsch and his star Pola Negri had already arrived in the USA. The international success of their joint work on films such as 'Carmen' (1918), 'Madame Dubarry' (1919) and 'The Mountain Cat' (1921) had paved the way for them to Hollywood. Before their departure, however, the émigrés delivered another masterpiece with 'The Flame'.
The plot is set in Paris in the mid-19th century. The sophisticated flâneur Gaston (Alfred Abel) and his shy friend, the composer Adolphe (Hermann Thimig), fall in love with the grisette Yvette (Pola Negri). Gaston is looking for an adventure, but Adolphe wants more. He lets Yvette move into his attic, much to the displeasure of his mother, who lives downstairs. However, their happiness 'in seventh heaven' does not last long, as the now successful composer Adolphe does not want to be seen in public with Yvette.
Unfortunately, only one film reel of 'The Flame' has survived. So today we can only see the second act of this wonderful film, but fortunately embedded in a reconstruction by the Munich Film Museum. And what we see here is an astonishing example of the versatility of director and actress. After the fire of 'Carmen', the historical drama of 'Madame Dubarry' and the anarchic comedy of 'Die Bergkatze', 'Die Flamme' strikes a softer note. It is an ensemble film that draws its charm from the interplay of outstanding actors, who we often see huddled together in cramped interiors and whose souls we study in many close-ups.
Here we meet a completely different Pola Negri, who has nothing of the man-eating, tomboyish or manipulative personality of her earlier roles. As Yvette, Negri appears infinitely fragile. The wide crinoline of her dress only emphasises her narrow shoulders. Yvette is at the mercy of the people around her, be it Gaston, Adolphe, his mother, her landlady or the lecherous men on the street or in the cafés. She can only lose in this game, and yet she hopes for a better life. And Pola Negri and Ernst Lubitsch succeed in making us hope along with Yvette. Right to the bitter end.
