Pandora's Box (1929)

Louise Brooks is Peter Pan-esque in this stylishly depicted story of "Lulu". She is beautiful and sexy, and she uses her gifts to effortlessly ensnare the wealthy "Dr. Schön" (Fritz Kortner). When it comes to marriage, however, she is tainted goods and so he becomes affianced to the more suitable "Charlotte" (Daisy D'Ora). He's still the jealous type, though, and is determined she will love no other. To that end he facilitates her joining the theatrical show of his adult son "Alwa" (Francis Lederer), who is none to immune to her charms either! Predictably, this plan only serves to throw oil on the fire and soon the now completely compromised, but smitten, doctor must make a decision he is loathe to - with tragic consequences ensuing for him, and for "Lulu". The performances ooze charisma and personality, the light and shade cleverly create atmospheres of passion, frustration and even some menace as the woman and her life rise and and fall before us. Carl Goetz is quite effective as "Schigolch" - one of her previous examples of collateral damage - as is Krafft-Raschig as the muscle-bound "Quast". By any modern day standard, this is a soap - a very good, well photographed and charming soap - but a soap nonetheless and it stretches the bounds of serendipity and plausibility just once too often for my liking. That said, Brooks turns her hand to just about everything here and is superb - and I did rather enjoy this.