Meant to be a diatribe against yellow journalism and current social ills, this weakly limned drama by Josef von Baky features a reporter who works for one of the tabloid papers. The reporter digs up dirt on the past life of a local hotel owner, and wanting to take full advantage of the muck, he strings out his revelations in a series of perjorative, damning articles on the man. The result of this campaign turns out to be much worse than simply ruining the hotel owner's reputation.
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Must See Movie...
Memorable, crazy movie
Fantastic!
The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.
On the whole good film about a journalist who wants to have a hit-story at any cost, including life. But the makers want to tell more than just a story about sensation journalism. The very interesting aspect of the film is that the journalist is a just married young man who wants to have his share of the German Economic Miracle of the 50's: everything the couple has bought is on installment; he needs money more than human feelings. Thus this film is critical of the way West Germany was economically, politically and certainly socially developing in the late 50's; no wonder, as the main writer was journalist Erich Kuby, the same man who reported on the "Rosemarie Nitribitt affair" in 1957 (see the film "Das Mädchen Rosemarie" by Rolf Thiele), that also gave a very unwelcome view on the West German Economic Miracle.The script is very well written, though it is a pity that towards the end focus shifts mainly to clearing the murder case; how the former black marketeer and his business companions could get away with their enterprising in the 50's is not made clear, with this aspect the film is not courageous enough. The direction of Josef von Baky (of "Münchhausen" fame) is good routine. Hildegard Knef and Fritz Schmiedel were justly awarded for their parts, but I think that Hansjörg Felmy is as good as the man who sold himself.
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