Interesting mixture of brilliance and stupidity
I just saw Spione (Fritz Lang: 1928) for the first time. I thought it was an interesting mixture of brilliance and stupidity. The camerawork was amazing and the same goes for the set and it has one of the greatest finale of all time.
Spoilers ahead!!!
But then there are some really stupid scenes like when Haghi (the bad guy) shoots him self in the head but still talks and stands on his own two feet. And if Haghi was so powerful why didn't he just have No. 326 shot in the beginning in stead of waiting it out. And why should a spy working for the government help a women who has just shot a man, like he does for Sonya. And why send Sonya to spy on him and then call her away in the middle of the dance to pick up some letters, blowing her cover and risking everything. Surely Haghi knew they had to be picked up and could have planed it better or sent someone else. And I have to say that the love story between No. 326 and Sonya was way too much over the top.
But don't misunderstand me. I think it was an fantastic film (8/10), better than Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (1922). It was also interesting to see how much Bond has borrowed from it. It also reminded me of North by Northwest (1959) by Hitch. Not to mention Dr. Mabuse. I really felt like I was watching Dr. Mabuse nr. II.
I saw the Masters Of Cinema edition of the film (R2). The transfer is amazing. Extremely well done. I didn't care so much for the music though.
- This comment is most likely authentic and fairly close to what I intended to say -