Pepe Le Moko (Charles Boyer) is a thief hiding from the French authorities in the murky underworld of Algiers' Casbah. It's impossible to find him and his stolen jewels in the narrow passages of the Casbah. He falls for beautiful Parisian Gaby (Hedy Lamarr) and he yearns to return to the open boulevards of Paris with her enraging his jealous Gypsy mistress Ines.
It's the American film debut of Hedy Lamarr. She had caused a sensation with her nude breakthrough film in Europe. Here she shows her beauty with a touch of class. Charles Boyer has a great coolness. The movie opens with a terrific montage of the real Casbah with its real inhabitants. It may be impossible but I do wish that the actors to actually be filmed in the Casbah. The artificial studio set does take away from the exotic feel. Nevertheless, there is some inventive camera work. This is a forgotten classic overshadowed by later icon Casablanca.
It's the American film debut of Hedy Lamarr. She had caused a sensation with her nude breakthrough film in Europe. Here she shows her beauty with a touch of class. Charles Boyer has a great coolness. The movie opens with a terrific montage of the real Casbah with its real inhabitants. It may be impossible but I do wish that the actors to actually be filmed in the Casbah. The artificial studio set does take away from the exotic feel. Nevertheless, there is some inventive camera work. This is a forgotten classic overshadowed by later icon Casablanca.