The Song of Life

This Brechtian musical about a young woman who flees from her decrepit, noble fiancé and marries a sailor is an interesting, although not a completely successful attempt to translate the sort of stage show to film. It has some good points, including the complete abandonment of the sort of surrealistic stage design that had enlivened the silent cinema. Instead, this tries for a purely cinematic technique, including multiple exposures, undercranking and distorting camera angles and lenses.

Director: Alexis Granowsky

Cast: Aribert Mog, Margot Ferra, Elsa Wagner, Ernst Busch, Leo Monosson, Harald Paulsen, Greta Keller

Audience-only score — full critic data not yet in the ReelXO vault.