Released
1930
Von Sternberg's breakthrough vehicle for Marlene Dietrich was a smoldering drama in the Weimar era, and still packs some heat now (especially in the superior German version). While veteran Emil Jannings hams it up a bit, Dietrich is mesmerizing. She appears a shade darker and plumper than in later roles, since she'd yet to receive the Hollywood treatment, but a luminescent star quality shines through. Lola's rendition of what would become Dietrich's signature song, "Falling In Love Again," is a highlight. Embrace this better "Angel," a piercing study of obsessive love.