Der Blau Engle (The Blue Angel)

1930 – Germany – 103 min. – B&W M Director: Josef Von Sternberg
Emil Jannings,Marlene Dietrich,Kurt Gerron, Rose Valetti, Hans Albers
This haunting tale of cruel, obsessive love may be best known for Dietrich crooning Falling in Love Again, her voice like honey spread on sandpaper, but its telling of the remorseless descent of Professor Immanuel Rath (superbly played by Emil Jannings) makes it truly compelling viewing. Uniquely shot in both German and English versions, we are showing the sub-titled former for not only the were German actors understandably far happier performing in their native tongue, that native tongue adds so much to the bleak, inter-war Berlin landscape that is at the heart of the film’s evocative power.