La belva di Dusseldorf

Skilled direction by the star, Robert Hossein, although the story was full of unsurprises. Hossein's portrayal of real life Weimar-era serial killer Peter Kurten was a little too detached, almost bored. Superb camera work and lighting, although the music grated at times. This movie was unknown to me until I found it online. It appears to have been released the same year as The Night of the Generals, a movie set in Nazi occupied Poland a decade later. With both films featuring Teutonic serial killers, I guess one of them had to step aside. Here there were no subtitles, but the dialogue spoken so clearly and free of argot I missed only a little. The people probably spoke non-colloquial French because they were supposed to be Germans, and everyone knows Germans in the 1930's spoke without argot. Marie-France Pisier was good as the chanteuse of a subterranean boite called El Dorado.

In the late 20´s, Germany has high inflation rates and unemployment and the rise of the Nazi Party. In this scenario, in Dusseldorf, the worker Peter Kuerten (Robert Hossein), also known as The Vampire of Dusseldorf, commits nine murders.

The weirdo Peter Kuerten is obsessed in the cabaret singer Anna (Marie-France Pisier) and they have a love affair. Meanwhile he kills young women on the desert streets of Dusseldorf. One day, a man escorts Anna to her home and is followed by Peter. When he leaves her, the jealous Peter Kuerten kills him on the street. The Chief of Police Momberg (Roger Dutoit) is pressed by Berlin to hunt down the serial-killer since the victim was an industrialist.

"Le vampire de Düsseldorf" is a little gem by Robert Hossein with the true story of the notorious serial-killer of Dusseldorf. The screenplay is believable and the cinematography in black-and-white is magnificent. The performances are top-notch and the actresses are very beautiful. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Vampiro de Düsseldorf" ("The Vampire of Düsseldorf")

A subject which was already treated by Lang and Siodmak.It's difficult for a French to create a German atmosphere...In spite of Marie-France Pisier's laudable efforts -her song "la Belle De Nuit" is really spellbinding ,Pia Colombo providing the vocal-but the nightclub looks like an American one,which the final fire reinforces.

Hossein was interested in films noirs ("Toi Le Venin" "Le Jeu de La Verite") and he tried to mix suspense with a political context : the crisis, with the unemployment the demonstrations,and the serpent's egg ,to quote Ingmar Bergman .The problem with the hero is that we know too few things about him (just compare with Mario Adorf's part in Siodmak's movie): once he was sadistically punished ,when he was a child,they buried him to the neck in the sand under a blistering sun,and that's it.

Good scenes: Hosssein and Annie Andersson in the park,just like a romantic couple,till Hossein sees the girl's legs.The caretaker,asking the criminal to knock on his door when he comes back at night;she feels safe when he is at home .The scene in the field when Hossein is scared by a pair of lovers.

Like this?try these,these are essential viewing: "M" Fritz Lang ,1933 "Nachts ,wenn der Teufel kam" Robert Siodmak, 1957

Robert Hossin directed and started in over 25 films. He had a distinctive "Noir" style. Always exquisitely photographed with a haunting original score. His persona, unlike Tritingant's cerebral quietness, is that of a lost soul searching for love only to be interrupted by violent inner demons. The Vampire of Deseldorf is no exception. The vampire here is a blue beard character who is disarmingly charming. Hossein, with little dialogue, captured the character with his eyes revealing a conflicted interior life.

Other Hossien motifs include wide-angle shots with large well-choreographed crowd scenes, long narrow streets shot at night, and a labyrinth this time made of brush.

Marie-France Pisier, in an early ingenue role, co-stars as a Marlene Dietrich-type cabaret singer. Her scenes include a lovely ballad. The film also includes a fine cast of supporting actors, another Hossein specialty.

A major discovery, for me, this one, written, directed and starring, Robert Hossein. Evidently a highly esteemed French actor who played many a romantic lead with the likes of Bardot and Loren, he also played less frivolous parts including thrillers such as Riffifi. Not as prolific at directing, he nevertheless seems to have made several interesting sounding titles that I shall have to look out for. His leading lady here is Marie France Pisier, who also was a very popular artiste in France and amongst other things was in Celine and Julie Go boating and a couple of Bunuel's. Here she plays a very cool and attractive cabaret singer, complete with top hat and whip. Her scenes in the nightclub are most effective as is the whole film. Based on a true story of a Dusseldorf serial killer, the sleazy back streets here are actually Madrid and the b/w cinematography throughout is a joy. Extremely well performed by all concerned and very competently directed, this is a highly recommended film.