Variety [Varieté] **** (1925, Emil Jannings, Maly Delschaft, Lya De Putti) – Classic Movie Review 7642

Director Ewald André Dupont’s 1925 Variety [aka Varieté, or Jealousy or Vaudeville] is an exciting German classic silent melodrama of fierily aroused passion, with an impressive silent movie performance by Emil Jannings as angry, betrayed trapeze artist Boss Huller, who kills his rival Artinelli (Warwick Ward) because he has seducer designs on his beautiful orphan protege trapeze act partner Berta-Marie (Lya de Putti), for whom Huller has left his carnival show wife (Maly Delschaft) and son.

The story is narrated in film-noir-style flashback by a jailed Boss Huller (Jannings) to his prison warden, breaking his silence after having spent ten years in prison.

Variety is a dazzling, brilliant-looking film. Master cinematographer Karl Freund’s eye-catching use of impressionistic lighting and camerawork makes this a highly stylish and technically virtuous picture.

Ewald André Dupont and Leo Birinsky’s screenplay is based on the novel Der Eid des Stephan Huller by Felix Hollaender.

Also in the cast are Alice Hechy, Georg John, Kurt Gerron, Paul Rehkopf, Charles Lincoln, Georg Baselt, Trude Hesterberg and Werner Krauss.

Variety [aka Varieté, or Jealousy or Vaudeville] is directed by Ewald André Dupont, runs 112 minutes, is made by UFA, is released by Famous Players, is written by Ewald André Dupont (scenario) and Leo Birinsky, based on the novel Der Eid des Stephan Huller by Felix Hollaender, is shot in black and white by Karl Freund and Carl Hoffmann, is produced by Eric Pommer, is scored by Erno Rapee, and is designed by Oscar Friedrich Werndorff.

The trapeze scenes are set in the Berlin Wintergarten theatre, with the camera swinging like the acrobats from long shot to close-up.

It was loosely remade by Dupont as the 1931 sound film Salto Mortale.

© Derek Winnert 2018 Classic Movie Review 7642

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