cinema history class: address unknown

Session: Bring Your Own Movie Month, Week 2 (Joe)
Movie: Address Unknown (1944)
Directed by William Cameron Menzies

As always, there may be spoilers here. And the trailer may be NSFW and/or NSFL.

Plot:
In the 1930s, two German expats -- one Jewish, one not -- maintain a business partnership and friendship in San Francisco. When one returns to Germany, they find their friendship tested. Horror ensues.

Reaction and Other Folderol:

I have been attending this class for something like eight years. And this is without question the most powerful movie we've seen. I tried, after we watched it, to describe the power. But words failed me.

They still do, to some extent. 

The story is obviously a big factor. It addresses topics such as loyalty, love, hate and cowardice. And it addresses the issue of how seemingly good people can be seduced into embracing evil.

But the film's greatness goes beyond that. I question whether this really qualifies as film noir, but the dialog is very noirish. And the cinematography is incredible. I loved the scene where the censor exited the theater after ordering the actors to cut dialog. He slowly gets smaller and smaller -- a tiny silhouette of black against a white background. And I am still haunted by the vision of Martin, terrified, peering through the iron fence around his villa.

We have seen some great movies in this class, and I have given out a bunch of tens over the years. But this may be the tenniest ten I've ever tenned.

Ratings

Me: 10

Bob: 9.0

Christina: 9.2

Dave: 10
Keith: 10