The Blue Angel (1930)
Notable for establishing the almost mythic Dietrich moviestar persona, and this was interesting to see right after Dishonored as she has the same confident and slightly manipulative demeanor. In addition, while this clearly is closer to the expressionist silent film aesthetics, it is still undeniably Sternberg with a keen eye for set design. What I really enjoyed with the narrative was how it isn’t really a fall from grace or tearing down an authority figure, though Rath does go through just that, it is more a realization already being literally a ridiculed clown. Initially we see he only has superficial authority as his students just go through the motions of showing respect by standing up when he enters, but behind his back they are ridiculing him with great deal of creativity. Rath simply doesn’t know yet that he isn’t respected, and it takes him years to fully succumb to that status. And through all this, Lola stays mostly indifferent and barely changes during the film. And interesting case of came for Dietrich but stayed for Jannings.
Rating: 4