First time out for Reisch's twice re-made in Hollywood story is primarily a vehicle for star Helm, who gets to do her best silent movie developed gestures - slumping in the chair, her arms dangling, edging along the wall away from menacing with charm Baron Grundgens (possibly his best outing) or even her carried shoulder high - arms raised as we saw her in the Yoshiwara sequence in METROPOLIS.
Deceptive opening has movie day-players Helm and Englisch deploring their miserable lives On set Brigitte is got up in the ten thousand schilling fur and plopped into the car with the Italian number plates, with maid outfitted Englisch beside her. Hearing that they are not going to use her in any more movies, our heroine drives off and keeps going to a swank Swiss hotel. Guest Forster and hotel thief Grundgens enter their lives. Not too easy to accept chunky Rudolf as a mate for the alluring Brigitte, particularly in his fuzzy fur outfit, but he gives it his best shot.
Climax at the hotel's New Year's celebration with Forster covered with streamers creating the distraction for our heroines' escapes.
This one is assured if slight and helped establish Reisch and Hartl as leaders in their industry. The film only uses source music. Röhrig and Herlth are subdued but Planer's camera-work is a major asset These are heavy hitters for such a lightweight.
The English sub-titled You Tube copy is so so but for such an elusive title it's welcome.
