After taking a detour by watching the very good 1964 Film Noir Marked Eyes, (also reviewed)I decided to continue viewing French titles from 1932. Going for the first title on the viewing pile,I got set for a dope viewing.
View on the film:
Filmed simultaneously with the German film Der Weisse Daemon and joined by co-director Roger Le Bon, director Kurt Gerron, (who turned down offers from Peter Lorre and Josef von Sternberg's agent for Hollywood projects, and was murdered with his wife Olga by the Nazis in Auschwitz in 1944) does very well in bringing out stylishly flourishes under the tight production schedule, with the excellent extended opening tracking shots on a cruise ship establishing the heroic hero status of Henri,and over saturated lights making Liliane look like she is wasting herself away.
Joined by writer Georges Neveux in adapting their German script, the screenplay by Neveux/ Philipp Lothar Mayring & Fritz Zeckendorf (who IMDb do not list as having been killed by the Nazis in 1943 in Auschwitz-Birkenau) is a fine mix of Melodrama and Thriller, as Liliane's descent into drug addition brings the drama as Henri tries to free her from it, whilst the hands of "bossu" (and his ingenious use of blanc vinyl to record faked messages) push Liliane deeper into the abyss. Caught between bossu and Henri, sweet Daniele Parola gives a very good performance as Liliane,whose singing ambitions Parola has get chipped away by the drugs. Sliding Parola deeper into her addiction, Peter Lorre gives a wonderfully slippery turn as bossu, whose calm, matter of fact manner is used by Lorre as a veil for ruthlessness that leaves Liliane dying for a hit.
View on the film:
Filmed simultaneously with the German film Der Weisse Daemon and joined by co-director Roger Le Bon, director Kurt Gerron, (who turned down offers from Peter Lorre and Josef von Sternberg's agent for Hollywood projects, and was murdered with his wife Olga by the Nazis in Auschwitz in 1944) does very well in bringing out stylishly flourishes under the tight production schedule, with the excellent extended opening tracking shots on a cruise ship establishing the heroic hero status of Henri,and over saturated lights making Liliane look like she is wasting herself away.
Joined by writer Georges Neveux in adapting their German script, the screenplay by Neveux/ Philipp Lothar Mayring & Fritz Zeckendorf (who IMDb do not list as having been killed by the Nazis in 1943 in Auschwitz-Birkenau) is a fine mix of Melodrama and Thriller, as Liliane's descent into drug addition brings the drama as Henri tries to free her from it, whilst the hands of "bossu" (and his ingenious use of blanc vinyl to record faked messages) push Liliane deeper into the abyss. Caught between bossu and Henri, sweet Daniele Parola gives a very good performance as Liliane,whose singing ambitions Parola has get chipped away by the drugs. Sliding Parola deeper into her addiction, Peter Lorre gives a wonderfully slippery turn as bossu, whose calm, matter of fact manner is used by Lorre as a veil for ruthlessness that leaves Liliane dying for a hit.