Spies

source: Spies

This is a fairly interesting and extremely well made spy film from Germany. It is interesting to see the German secret service as the good guys as well as the Japanese Secret service to a lesser extent. They battle the head of a crime syndicate a lot like Bond's nemesis, Blofeld. They both use wheelchairs and seem pretty bent on evil. And, there are some interesting a realistic-looking moments that make this a very interesting film. These elements are pretty interesting, though the film drags a bit when it shies away from the cool gadgets and action and tries to create a rather forced love story between enemy agents. The hero is vamped by a woman blackmailed to help the bad guys and she later falls in love with him and ultimately betrays her team. This reminded me a lot of Pussy Galore and other Bond girls who were forced by the hero's magnetic personality to betray their cause and just seems like a cliché. One of the first films of its type, so for historical reasons it's an important film. Plus, being directed by Fritz Lang, it had excellent production values and camera-work.

Fritz Lang's silent crime thriller pits a government agent (Willy Fritsch) against a scheming international banker who is stealing government documents. Considered an overlooked, but crucial part of Lang's impressive canon and an important influence on the thrillers of Alfred Hitchcock; it does have some first-rate cutting and painterly images of the city's dense layering. However, (this version at least) is simply way too long. One can anticipate what is going to happen later in the film with more than ½ hour to go. The film could easily afford to lose some where in the order of one hour of its footage. A necessary viewing for anyone interested in the work of Fritz Lang all the same.

A seductresses visible in 4 occasions during one scene as she seduces a man. There are numerous sexual movements of harassment made by both men and women. Not great.

This is great film making. The whole 'James Bond' spy genre came from this film. It has it all. First, we have Haghi, the physically flawed (here wheelchair bound, and exhaling cigarette smoke out of only one nostril) but evil genius masterminding a global plot. He's played by the great Rudolf Klein-Rogge, who was the too hammy Rotwang in 'Metropolis' (1927); he totally dominates the film in terms of screen time and acting. In his 'evil' disguise (he has two others) he looks just like Lenin! Then we have the Secret Service spy hero, known as Number 326 (Willy Fritsch), who falls in love and has an affair with his Russian spy counterpart, Sonya (Gerda Maurus). Even the 'dialog' sequences between Haghi and Sonya have a Bondish flair! There's the female spy who seduces the Japanese diplomat to steal the Secret Treaty with Japan. Then there's the (seemingly) international cast of Germans, Japanese and a black bartender, and the movement between countries. There are the high tech gadgets, from the buttons on Haghi's desk, to the lapel mini-camera, and the screen relaying spy messages and the abundance of spies, moles and counterspies. Then comes the suspenseful plot to kill 326 on a train going to 'the border.' Finally, the exciting, dangerous rescue of Sonya, and the last undoing of Haghi. All this in a silent movie of 1928! The masterful cinematography by Lang and his crew make this film immensely watchable. There are fantastic dissolves and rapid cutting, great close framing, and wonderful tracking shots. What a text book of film making! The addition of a modern soundtrack to the KINO version, which uses various instruments (piano, flute, bassoon, koto, bongos and other instruments) in solo, duet, trio and ensemble passages is little more than amazing, and is without a doubt one of the most appropriate soundtracks ever made for a silent film. The music adds emphasis and feeling to every shot. One of the best moments is when the Japanese diplomat, deeply guilt ridden for allowing the evil spy Kitty (Lien Deyer, in her first film) to seduce him and steal the Treaty, commits ritual suicide (seppuku) in a tatami mat room, with koto and piano playing a duet symbolizing the clash of cultures. Masterful! Another fantastic modern soundtrack is the KINO one for 'Woman in the Moon' (1929), also directed by Lang and also starring Gerda Maurus and Willy Fritsch. There are a couple of minor glitches, however. Willy Fritsch is not a rough, tough sexy Bond figure, but just moons over Sonya like a little puppy dog whenever he sees her; but Gerda Maurus as Sonya, aware of her dual role as his enemy / lover though he at first is not, does a much better job because she displays the range of conflicted feelings appropriate to the role, and without overacting. The other problem is the train wreck. It's not really made clear what train Sonya was on and why she wasn't involved in the crash of the two trains. This problem may have stemmed from the fact that this film has been reconstructed from various sources, primarily from an Austrian print. So I'll give it a 9, not a 10, but it is certainly a film to be seen, and guaranteed to be enjoyed by anyone whether knowledgeable about silent films or not.

Spione (Spies) is a Fritz Lang film about spy espionage. The plot is strangely more complicated than more recent spy flicks (which is a good thing). The film focuses on No. 326, a spy that is responsible for investigating leads on a mysterious mastermind that controls a network of spies. The mastermind, known as Haghi, plots to steal an important treaty. It turns out that he leads a double life as the owner of a successful bank (which apparently makes him richer than Henry Ford). Things get complicated when Haghi sends a female spy, Sonya, to prevent No. 326 from interfering. Sonya falls in love with No. 326 while still under the supervision of Haghi, leading to the usual conflicts. The acting and characterization was wonderful. Haghi is the definition of bad guy: you know he is evil when you see the goatee. Confined to a wheelchair, he is the perfect blend of intelligence and deceptiveness. Agent No. 326 is an interesting character, although he loses some of his features as the film progresses. Sonya is beautiful and acted wonderfully. Among the side characters, I found that Colonel Jellusic and Doctor Masimoto stood out. Although a little overlong, the film is at no point slow. Mixing fast pacing with well-placed plot twists (which really build up towards the end), anyone with interest in the subject should have no problem enjoying it for the entire running time. I was not sure what to expect from Spione before watching it, seeing that it is a largely forgotten film. I enjoy Fritz Lang films, and this was no exception. It may not be the caliber of M, but it succeeds anyway. If you do not mind silent films and enjoy the spy/espionage genre (namely, James Bond), then you will enjoy this one.

"Spione" or "Spies" is another Fritz Lang silent film from over 85 years ago. It is of course as always with him still in black-and-white and runs for no less than 145 minutes. At least, this applies to the version I watched. Maybe yours is different as there are, as always with these old films, many different versions out there, most of them restored. The cast includes several fairly famous actors from other pretty well-known silent film classics, such as Rudolf Klein-Rogge. The novel here came from Lang's longtime companion Thea von Harbou and the 2 also came up with the script. But only Lang directed as always. I must say I was a bit disappointed with this one. It has a couple good moments, but the material is not as good in quality to justify a quantity of almost 150 minutes. I like good spy movies, especially tense ones, but I cannot say this is one of them. Maybe it would have been at 100 minutes max. In any case, it would have been a lot better than this one here. I have seen several films of Lang and while I would not say it is his worst, it is also nowhere near his best. There are several sequences that drag a lot. As a result of all this, I cannot recommend the watch. Disappointing experience. Thumbs down.

Spione is a mixture of brilliance and stupidity. The camera-work was amazing and the same goes for the set. And the film 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 to 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 I have to say that the love story between No. 326 and Sonya was way too much over the top. Spoilers Finished!!! 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 no. 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.

Fritz Lang was one of the great silent film directors (His talkies are great as well) and this is his best silent film. Agents target the mysterious Haghi (Rudolf Klien-Rogge), a master criminal out to topple the banks of the world. The pursuit includes a seductive young female spy driving a Japanese business man to hari-kiri, assassinations, a chase and a showdown on a train (that collides in one heck of a sequence.) The film concludes with Haghi trapped on a stage where he is dressed as a clown (Why a powerful bank president moonlights as a third rate clown has always puzzled me.) Alfred Hitchcock openly cites this brillaint film as an influence. Also, there is a priceless glimpse of 1920's Germany here- the decadence of Berlin, where apartment dwellers turn their tiny flats into bars for extra cash. Even when the film plays in its complete 3 hour form, it's an exciting time at the movies.

Freqently throughout its 146 minutes, I found myself thinking: now where have I seen that before? Because, clearly, Alfred Hitchcock studied this 'zinger' carefully before making "The 39 Steps": not only that, but I suspect he also incorporated elements of it in at least half a dozen other of his British films. 146 minutes, I said, but, while some of the early scenes in the first hour or so are somewhat repetitive, and studio-bound, once Lang cranks up the suspense,....and this is where the influences for Hitchcock were plain to see,.....you really had to hang on to your seat. The plot, despite its labyrinthine twists and turns, is 'yer common-or-garden Dr Mabuse, mad evil genius type' set for World domination. Of course it does have an endearing,....(yes '39 Steps'again),.... romantic sideline, which doesn't at all detract from the pacing or suspense. But this isn't "The Magic Mountain"..nor even 'M' with its deeper psychological overtones..you're not meant to delve deeply into it: its pure hokum, meant for enjoyment There are some dazzling scenes: the dance/boxing-ring; the climactic 'race against time' scenes in the bank; .....ahem,.........the 'literally', breakneck-paced train scenes; that truly surreal, but riveting, ending. And, of course,Rudolf Klein Rogge, as ever, enjoys himself as the Mabuse-like,Haghi. The film features some wonderfully Expressionistic lighting by Fritz Arno Wagner; much-to-admire 'Art-Deco' like sets; my stunning 'Masters Of Cinema' DVD features a glorious score,....and I'm sure I detected Rachmaninov clips in among its most romantic moments. But, above all,it was a most assured job of direction by Lang. And I can't wait to watch it again!