084: The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) - released in France 4/12/33, viewed 2/6/07.
The recently elected Nazis under Julius Streicher organize a one-day boycott of all Jewish-owned businesses in Germany. Beer is legalized in the U.S.
DOUG: As Hitler's conquest of Germany begins to take hold, European filmmaker extraordinaire Fritz Lang unleashes one last psychological crime thriller on his home country before divorcing his Nazi-sympathizing wife and skipping town for good to head to Hollywood. And quite a good film it is. It's a sound movie that is a sequel to a silent movie Lang directed years before. Lang shows off a few cool tricks here and there with sound, including a very clever chase in the film's opening that culminates in a rather odd, but nonetheless cool, on-screen explosion. Otto Wernicke reprises his role from 'M' as Commissioner Lohmann, who investigates a series of strange crimes in which all clues point to criminal mastermind and hypnotist Dr. Mabuse. There's just one problem: Mabuse has been catatonic in a mental institution for years. How can he be overseeing these complex criminal operations without leaving his cell or talking to anyone? We see precious little of Mabuse himself, but like Hans Beckert before him, his presence is everywhere, as criminals and innocents chillingly become victims of the mad doctor's strange power; one inspector is so traumatized by an attempt on his life that he is forced to constantly relive the moments before he was almost killed; a member of Mabuse's gang, hoping to leave his life of crime, is captured along with his girlfriend and stuck in a locked room with a ticking bomb he can't find; and the man in charge of Mabuse's case, Professor Baum, seems strangely obsessed with the doctor's manic journals. Wernicke carries most of the film, chewing lots of scenery and cigars while kicking plenty of criminal ass, although he takes a little too long to figure out the final twist. I'm a little surprised the film wasn't remade in Hollywood (If it was, it would probably have been 30 minutes shorter, and not as good). What is interesting about the film now is its allegory on the Nazi takeover that was occurring at the time. While other German films seemed to stumble on the darkness creeping across the country by accident, the parallels here seem quite intentional. Mabuse is Hitler, brilliant and psychotic, completely dedicated to evil, influencing others by force of will and malice. Dr. Baum represents the population that he has enthralled.
KEVIN: As his once native Germany goes to hell in a handcart, director Fritz Lang delivers his most complex thriller yet, in the sequel to his 1922 silent hit 'Dr. Mabuse.' This film, 'The Testament of Dr. Mabuse,' finds the demented hypnotist conducting his criminal empire from his jail cell. As well as mystery and crime drama, it's also one of the very few psychological thrillers we've seen. Lang once again uses some special effects to depict Mabuse's bizarre machinations. The demented Doctor, an obvious precursor to psychopaths like Hannibal Lecter, sits in his jail cell scribbling away on his notes day and night, even when he's got nothing to write with. Unlike 'M,' where the so-called villain was the most fully-formed character, in Mabuse it's the human characters that get to shine while the villain is a one-sided master of evil. Otto Wernicke, evidently reprising his role from 'M' as Inspector Lohmann, kicks serious criminal ass as the unkempt Commissioner who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this twisted plot. Oscar Beregi plays Dr. Baum, the crazed professor who carries on Mabuse's work. We are never quite sure how conscious he is of his own villainy. Gustav Diessl is also very good, injecting a surprising romantic interest that manages to deliver some of the film's best thrills rather than detract from them. A tense scene finds him in a locked room with his girlfriend, a ticking bomb, and no chance of escape. Usually a film from this period running over too hours feels way too long, but 'Mabuse' feels just right. The ending is a little confusing, with a release of poison gas threatening the city in the background while the heroes chase down the villain. And most importantly of all, only a Fritz Lang film looks and feels like a Fritz Lang film. There's a grittiness and darkness that most Hollywood movies could only imitate.
Last film: Gabriel Over the White House (1933). Next film: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933).
The recently elected Nazis under Julius Streicher organize a one-day boycott of all Jewish-owned businesses in Germany. Beer is legalized in the U.S.
DOUG: As Hitler's conquest of Germany begins to take hold, European filmmaker extraordinaire Fritz Lang unleashes one last psychological crime thriller on his home country before divorcing his Nazi-sympathizing wife and skipping town for good to head to Hollywood. And quite a good film it is. It's a sound movie that is a sequel to a silent movie Lang directed years before. Lang shows off a few cool tricks here and there with sound, including a very clever chase in the film's opening that culminates in a rather odd, but nonetheless cool, on-screen explosion. Otto Wernicke reprises his role from 'M' as Commissioner Lohmann, who investigates a series of strange crimes in which all clues point to criminal mastermind and hypnotist Dr. Mabuse. There's just one problem: Mabuse has been catatonic in a mental institution for years. How can he be overseeing these complex criminal operations without leaving his cell or talking to anyone? We see precious little of Mabuse himself, but like Hans Beckert before him, his presence is everywhere, as criminals and innocents chillingly become victims of the mad doctor's strange power; one inspector is so traumatized by an attempt on his life that he is forced to constantly relive the moments before he was almost killed; a member of Mabuse's gang, hoping to leave his life of crime, is captured along with his girlfriend and stuck in a locked room with a ticking bomb he can't find; and the man in charge of Mabuse's case, Professor Baum, seems strangely obsessed with the doctor's manic journals. Wernicke carries most of the film, chewing lots of scenery and cigars while kicking plenty of criminal ass, although he takes a little too long to figure out the final twist. I'm a little surprised the film wasn't remade in Hollywood (If it was, it would probably have been 30 minutes shorter, and not as good). What is interesting about the film now is its allegory on the Nazi takeover that was occurring at the time. While other German films seemed to stumble on the darkness creeping across the country by accident, the parallels here seem quite intentional. Mabuse is Hitler, brilliant and psychotic, completely dedicated to evil, influencing others by force of will and malice. Dr. Baum represents the population that he has enthralled.
KEVIN: As his once native Germany goes to hell in a handcart, director Fritz Lang delivers his most complex thriller yet, in the sequel to his 1922 silent hit 'Dr. Mabuse.' This film, 'The Testament of Dr. Mabuse,' finds the demented hypnotist conducting his criminal empire from his jail cell. As well as mystery and crime drama, it's also one of the very few psychological thrillers we've seen. Lang once again uses some special effects to depict Mabuse's bizarre machinations. The demented Doctor, an obvious precursor to psychopaths like Hannibal Lecter, sits in his jail cell scribbling away on his notes day and night, even when he's got nothing to write with. Unlike 'M,' where the so-called villain was the most fully-formed character, in Mabuse it's the human characters that get to shine while the villain is a one-sided master of evil. Otto Wernicke, evidently reprising his role from 'M' as Inspector Lohmann, kicks serious criminal ass as the unkempt Commissioner who will stop at nothing to get to the bottom of this twisted plot. Oscar Beregi plays Dr. Baum, the crazed professor who carries on Mabuse's work. We are never quite sure how conscious he is of his own villainy. Gustav Diessl is also very good, injecting a surprising romantic interest that manages to deliver some of the film's best thrills rather than detract from them. A tense scene finds him in a locked room with his girlfriend, a ticking bomb, and no chance of escape. Usually a film from this period running over too hours feels way too long, but 'Mabuse' feels just right. The ending is a little confusing, with a release of poison gas threatening the city in the background while the heroes chase down the villain. And most importantly of all, only a Fritz Lang film looks and feels like a Fritz Lang film. There's a grittiness and darkness that most Hollywood movies could only imitate.
Last film: Gabriel Over the White House (1933). Next film: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933).