Not the first musical one should see when studying the history of musical films, this German curiosity nevertheless features the classic "Mack the Knife." It was also released in French as a completely separate film with a different cast. It's worth hearing in German and marveling at the fact that this Bertold Brecht classic was released in 1931 when Germany was already rumbling with the rise of the Nazis, who banned the film. Set in England, it's a dark story about a murderer, a real contrast to the happy-go-lucky musicals Hollywood was producing, in complete denial of what was going on in Europe. Lotte Lenya is one of the stars, and you'll notice if you listen to the popular English-language version of "Mack the Knife," that the actress becomes part of the lyrics. Definitely a film for the advanced movie scholar. In 1989 an American version (renamed Mack the Knife) was released, starring the often underrated Raul Julia, Richard Harris, Julie Walters, and Roger Daltrey. It's more fun to watch than the 1931 version.
Review of The Threepenny Opera
