Review of Carnival Story

The tone of this film is unusual - rather more raw yet more authentic that its Hollywood contemporaries. German screenwriter, director and location and the period, early 1950s is relevant - a broken society before the economic miracle. Willi (Anne Baxter) is a good looking youngish pickpocket who nevertheless is redeemed by retaining a moral compass, she steals to live but yearns for a better life. There must have been many such as her, finding themselves fatherless even orphaned, living however she could. Steve Cochran the handsome heel - and worse= who makes women crave him and casually uses them (the whistling scene makes the passions absolutely clear). Central is the high dive - genuinely scary, the moment at the very top where all is quiet and the lights of other towns can be seen, is memorable - I got a sense of being there. Anne Baxter is particularly good - compare her coyness in All About Eve. Steve Cochran was not so far from playing himself. A memorable film.