One of the earliest "talkie" films, Director Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel introduced American audiences to German femme fatale Marlene Dietrich. Actually, the film was released right after Dietrich’s Hollywood debut in Morocco, also directed by Josef von Sternberg and featuring a young Gary Cooper.

Ironically, veteran German actor and Academy Award winner Emil Jannings’ was the "star" of The Blue Angel, however the German bombshell stole the picture right out from under him. Clearly, Jannings had nothing to offer compared to the sight of Dietrich adjusting her panties on camera.

On the surface the story is a simple one — about the ruin and degradation of a respected high school professor by an erotic but disreputable cabaret singer, Lola Lola, but there is more: Subsequent history has shown The Blue Angel to be a fascinating documentary of the decadence of the fast-evaporating post-WWI Weimar Republic that would come crashing down with the advent of Adolph Hitler in 1933. Professor Rath (Emil Jannings) represents the staid German tradition while decadent Lola Lola represents the perilous forces that will bring Germany to her knees in the not-too-distant future. For another look at this interesting time period, the viewer is directed to the excellent Cabaret starring Liza Minelli.

A quick review of the film reveals some flaws – an early talkie, the sound quality certainly leaves a bit to be desired which has not been enhanced by the lapse of over 70 years. Indeed, bits of the speech are in German as the film was released in parallel German and American versions, shot simultaneously. Time has also been unkind to the celluloid, as the film has numerous flickers from the deterioration of the source material. But the acting from both Jannings and Dietrich is first class, as is the direction by von Sternberg. Tremendous use of light and dark are used to tell the story, with Gunther Rittau’s photography giving Dietrich a luminous quality that made her an international sensation, competitive with MGM’s Greta Garbo. Dietrich could also sing, as her performance of "Falling in Love Again" is a classic.

I understand there is a restored version of The Blue Angel available. It might be a good idea to seek it out for fans who wish to have a copy of this important film.

In my opinion, any film buff will want to see The Blue Angel. Another extremely important film from the early talkie era is Director Lewis Milestone’s All Quiet on the Western Front. Also interesting early talkies are the Universal horror films Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, The Mummy, and the early gangster films Scarface, Little Caesar, and Public Enemy.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day