In a murky and shortened streamed version and much better DVD of the 1987 restoration, this (very) early Lang film must vie with BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT as the director's worst outing.
With it's alpine snowscapes and surprise revelation, it seems closer to Scandinavians like Dreyer and Seastrom or to Arnold Fank, . Throw in an END OF THE AFFAIR vow.
Matronly May (who is not above pressing both palms to her brow in anguish) is on a real train, when she gets a warning telegram. Marr, a motorist is following her escape into the Bavarian mountains. Arriving at the Tyrolean valley resort, she finds her room let but young Dr. Mabuse offers her his, following her across the Königsee lake by motor boat, leaving the pursuer to be rowed.
A hooded mountain hermit first turns May away but finally takes her in, as the man approaches. A flashback reveals the pursuer is the twin brother (an OK matte of him at the window above himself) of her free love companion who wouldn't marry her after she had a child. May and the brother faked a wedding.
The brother sends rocks hurtling down on the hut, where they shelter. Buried in the avalanche with not so convincing studio interiors, May realises that the recluse is actually (cf. MONASTERY at SENDOMIR) her lover Marr, the brother of pursuer Marr - got that?
Klein Rogge leads the rescue and husband Marr is killed in the fight. However that does not bring happiness to all, as hermit Marr has sworn to the stone virgin on the ice cornice that he will not move on May again till the statue walks. A vision or a plot convenience relieves him of his vow. He comes down the mountain to the hotel, where May is being dined by Rogge. The non marriage bond is vindicated and the couple go off leaving cousin Rogge to inherit the family fortune.
As far as can be determined by the abbreviated copy, the handling is advanced for the time and the subject matter is surprisingly modern, including rape in marriage. However it is suffused with the same Xmas card religion that shows up in METROPOLIS. The superimposed phantom bell also anticipates that film's shown-sound alarm gong.
The alpine segments are the film's best and Seeber's snow scenics with grad filter skies are the film's major asset even if his dissolves in camera are shakey.
The piece holds attention quite well and has some striking images - the railway, the lake, the bogus walking virgin, the pursuer foreground in mid shot with the escaping pair across the chasm, distant. However it is just a relic with none of the evil fascination of the director's crime movies.
With it's alpine snowscapes and surprise revelation, it seems closer to Scandinavians like Dreyer and Seastrom or to Arnold Fank, . Throw in an END OF THE AFFAIR vow.
Matronly May (who is not above pressing both palms to her brow in anguish) is on a real train, when she gets a warning telegram. Marr, a motorist is following her escape into the Bavarian mountains. Arriving at the Tyrolean valley resort, she finds her room let but young Dr. Mabuse offers her his, following her across the Königsee lake by motor boat, leaving the pursuer to be rowed.
A hooded mountain hermit first turns May away but finally takes her in, as the man approaches. A flashback reveals the pursuer is the twin brother (an OK matte of him at the window above himself) of her free love companion who wouldn't marry her after she had a child. May and the brother faked a wedding.
The brother sends rocks hurtling down on the hut, where they shelter. Buried in the avalanche with not so convincing studio interiors, May realises that the recluse is actually (cf. MONASTERY at SENDOMIR) her lover Marr, the brother of pursuer Marr - got that?
Klein Rogge leads the rescue and husband Marr is killed in the fight. However that does not bring happiness to all, as hermit Marr has sworn to the stone virgin on the ice cornice that he will not move on May again till the statue walks. A vision or a plot convenience relieves him of his vow. He comes down the mountain to the hotel, where May is being dined by Rogge. The non marriage bond is vindicated and the couple go off leaving cousin Rogge to inherit the family fortune.
As far as can be determined by the abbreviated copy, the handling is advanced for the time and the subject matter is surprisingly modern, including rape in marriage. However it is suffused with the same Xmas card religion that shows up in METROPOLIS. The superimposed phantom bell also anticipates that film's shown-sound alarm gong.
The alpine segments are the film's best and Seeber's snow scenics with grad filter skies are the film's major asset even if his dissolves in camera are shakey.
The piece holds attention quite well and has some striking images - the railway, the lake, the bogus walking virgin, the pursuer foreground in mid shot with the escaping pair across the chasm, distant. However it is just a relic with none of the evil fascination of the director's crime movies.