I'm a big fan of Conrad Veidt, from Caligari to Casablanca. That said, this is not a film I would recommend for someone who's never seen him before. Man who laughs or cabinet would be my recommendations.
Veidt, of course, is great. He's one of the best, most expressive silent actors. The pace is slow, but that's not uncommon in silents. The camera sits still, but cameras weighed two hundred pounds and were hard to move.
The problem with this movie is the script. The ending is a perfect example of deus ex machina. The maid, who has known the blackmailer's plot all the time, suddenly decides to save Orlac. What changed her mind? And the blackmailer had made special wax casts of Vasseur's fingerprints? And why was Orlac's father so against him? I don't know how much of that came from the novel.
I'm going to watch Mad Love now, and look forward to seeing what the differences are. I'm a big fan of Peter Lorre, too.
Veidt, of course, is great. He's one of the best, most expressive silent actors. The pace is slow, but that's not uncommon in silents. The camera sits still, but cameras weighed two hundred pounds and were hard to move.
The problem with this movie is the script. The ending is a perfect example of deus ex machina. The maid, who has known the blackmailer's plot all the time, suddenly decides to save Orlac. What changed her mind? And the blackmailer had made special wax casts of Vasseur's fingerprints? And why was Orlac's father so against him? I don't know how much of that came from the novel.
I'm going to watch Mad Love now, and look forward to seeing what the differences are. I'm a big fan of Peter Lorre, too.
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