The Secret Killer (1965) User Reviews

The Notorious Serial-Killer of Dusseldorf

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 5 April 2019]

In the late 20´s, Germany has high inflation rates and unemployment and the rise of the Nazi Party. In this scenario, in Dusseldorf, the worker Peter Kuerten (Robert Hossein), also known as The Vampire of Dusseldorf, commits nine murders.

The weirdo Peter Kuerten is obsessed in the cabaret singer Anna (Marie-France Pisier) and they have a love affair. Meanwhile he kills young women on the desert streets of Dusseldorf. One day, a man escorts Anna to her home and is followed by Peter. When he leaves her, the jealous Peter Kuerten kills him on the street. The Chief of Police Momberg (Roger Dutoit) is pressed by Berlin to hunt down the serial-killer since the victim was an industrialist.

"Le vampire de Düsseldorf" is a little gem by Robert Hossein with the true story of the notorious serial-killer of Dusseldorf. The screenplay is believable and the cinematography in black-and-white is magnificent. The performances are top-notch and the actresses are very beautiful. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Vampiro de Düsseldorf" ("The Vampire of Düsseldorf")

Not accurate, but Hossein's style of directing is good.

[swedzin · 6/10 · 18 January 2016]

The movie is loosely based upon life of Peter Kurten, the psychotic serial killer from Dusseldorf, Germany. Apparently looks and says like it, but this movie is not closely accurate. The true story of serial murderer Peter Kurten is far darker, sinister, disturbing and scary than this film. And I understand that Robert Hossein maybe did not want to make a film with such elements. And kind of, I feel sorry for it, because I expect a story to follow real events. If you are making a movie based on true story, then make sure to put more facts than fiction. And of course, put some usual, fictitious movie drama while at it. However, the movie is not all that bad and I think that Hossein excelled as both director and actor. As a director, he gave us a great screen shoots (for example), good lightning and great night atmosphere. As actor he was even better. His Kurten was, well, yes, far more different than the real one. Hossein's Kurten had this uncomfortable stare, socially awkward looks, and unusual walking, with his head focused on victim. He is somewhat reminiscent of Bela Lugosi (in that good old vampire sense). Also, he fell in love with a singer at the night café, named Anna, played by Marie France – Pisier. Marie was good in her role, as beautiful, voluptuous, yet innocent-looking, but brash and young. The element of these two falling in love was quite fitting, as Kurten sees her not as a potential victim, but rather as someone who could, perhaps calm the evil within him. The movie offers quite, reasonable amount of tension, interesting music score, though I expected to be more musical scores for each scene. Camera work, editing, make up, costumes and other actors are good. The thing that makes this movie slow and uninteresting is that we have a subplot about Nazi Germans rise to power and the big depression. Yes, I understand that those things happened back then. However, I think it would be better to keep it low. At the beginning of the movie, we have exposition about everything that happened about Nazis, depression and Kurten, so Hossein basically, tells us about the stuff that happens in the film, before we even see it. I think that big depression and Nazi Germany fits well in that exposition, while he leaves Kurten and his crimes to the rest of the film. So, I do recommend this film, it's pretty good. Kudos to Robert Hossein.

highly recommended

[christopher-underwood · 8/10 · 23 November 2013]

A major discovery, for me, this one, written, directed and starring, Robert Hossein. Evidently a highly esteemed French actor who played many a romantic lead with the likes of Bardot and Loren, he also played less frivolous parts including thrillers such as Riffifi. Not as prolific at directing, he nevertheless seems to have made several interesting sounding titles that I shall have to look out for. His leading lady here is Marie France Pisier, who also was a very popular artiste in France and amongst other things was in Celine and Julie Go boating and a couple of Bunuel's. Here she plays a very cool and attractive cabaret singer, complete with top hat and whip. Her scenes in the nightclub are most effective as is the whole film. Based on a true story of a Dusseldorf serial killer, the sleazy back streets here are actually Madrid and the b/w cinematography throughout is a joy. Extremely well performed by all concerned and very competently directed, this is a highly recommended film.

Watching a serial killer doing his thing

[tony_le_stephanois · 18 May 2015]

A brutal murderer was widely known in the 1920's in Germany, nicknamed The Vampire of Düsseldorf (hence the title). He got captured and he appeared to be Peter Kürten. In this version of events we follow Peter committing his crimes. A laborer who pretends he's from high society. There's much attention for the unstable political situation in the days of the Weimar republic. There are fascist everywhere, burning books, beating people up, etcetera.

Watching a serial killer doing his thing is a actually quite weird type of film to watch. But it exists for decades and keeps on fascinating people, until this day (for example Henry, Portrait of a serial killer, or series like The Fall and Dexter). Le vampire de Düsseldorf is an early example from 1965. But a film about (supposedly, director Fritz Lang denied it) the same killer, M., is even older, even from the same year as when Kürten was executed (1931).

The subject isn't very original. As many others already have mentioned, M. by Fritz Lang is a much better film. It's not so much about the killings, rather about psychology, fear and sentiments. As others also have mentioned, there's not much German about this film, not even an attempt to. This film lacks in original storytelling and in realism.

However, the good thing is: I found this film surprisingly stylish. Robert Hossein (who wrote and directed the film, and played the lead) was by then already an experienced film noir director, who knew how to capture the attention with silence, as he did in La Mort d'un Tueur. The street scenes at night are quite marvelous. The camera movements are lovely to see. Many pretty shots, as for example the distant shot of the bar Eldorado, the shot with Anna and all her mirrors, or the following through the streets. Those are absolutely worthy of the predicate film noir. I rate this 7/10, mostly for style.

Unrelated to the review, but I also like the idea of a bar with phones in which, for example, table 14 could call table 8. Apparently a common thing in the 20's. A funny concept that a smart person perhaps can revive again.

Skillfully made but few surprises

[markwood272 · 7/10 · 18 May 2015]

Skilled direction by the star, Robert Hossein, although the story was full of unsurprises. Hossein's portrayal of real life Weimar-era serial killer Peter Kurten was a little too detached, almost bored. Superb camera work and lighting, although the music grated at times. This movie was unknown to me until I found it online. It appears to have been released the same year as The Night of the Generals, a movie set in Nazi occupied Poland a decade later. With both films featuring Teutonic serial killers, I guess one of them had to step aside. Here there were no subtitles, but the dialogue spoken so clearly and free of argot I missed only a little. The people probably spoke non-colloquial French because they were supposed to be Germans, and everyone knows Germans in the 1930's spoke without argot. Marie-France Pisier was good as the chanteuse of a subterranean boite called El Dorado.

"I wish it could be night all the time."

[morrison-dylan-fan · 9/10 · 18 May 2016]

Whilst reading up about Robert Siodmak's wenn der Teufel kam (which I've not seen yet!),I found out that a fellow IMDber had kindly sent me a DVD of Robert Hossein's take on the real life Dusseldorf serial killer,which led to me getting ready to unmask the "Vampire of Düsseldorf."

The plot-

1930-Germany:

With Hitler on the rise, labourer Peter Kuerten decides to go to the city of Düsseldorf and pretend to be a member of the "elite." Along with being taken by the performances of nightclub singer Anna,Kuerten notices that a number of women are on their own in the city,which leads to Kuerten deciding to become a serial killer.As Kuerten's killing spree begins,the police find themselves struggling to get any clues to who "The Vampire of Düsseldorf " is,whilst Anna begins to notice a man who attends all her performances.

View on the film:

Opening with "3D" credits,co-writer/(along with Claude Desailly/Georges Tabet/ André & Georges Tabet) lead actor/director Robert Hossein and cinematographer Alain Levent slice the true life events with a peculiar, mischievous edge,where Hossein and Levent break the 4th wall via having characters turn Hossein's dad André wonderful score off/on radio and record players.Keeping the strange vibes brewing,Hossein transforms the Film Noir chills into an operatic Gothic Horror final,as the "monster/vampire" gets the girl,and their world comes burning down.Casting the horrifying burning of books across the screen,Hossein grips the grim Film Noir in an atmosphere reeking of anxiety,where each stalk & slash murder is displayed in unflinching wide-shots.

Avoiding the risk of just making the movie a series of set-piece killings,the writers explore the rotting landscape where Kuerten and Hitler lurk, from the nightclubs being filled with self-centred Femme Fatales and Film Noir loners,to the police desperately trying to make themselves look busy,as Kuerten's reign overwhelms them.Skipping over making her pure and innocent,the writers give Anna a real spiky side that Kuerten finds irresistible.

Performing some chosen "old standards" in alluring outfits,the stunning Marie-France Pisier gives a great performance as Anna,with Pisier grinning a femme fatale smile as Anna stabs Kuerten with abrasive one-liners which reveal that looks can be deceiving. Creeping around the city looking for his next victim, Hossein gives a superb performance as Kuerten,thanks to Hossein tearing up Kuerten's buttoned-up shine to reveal the Film Noir monster desperate for blood,as the Vampire of Düsseldorf steps out of the shadows.

High-school play

[tugrul-anildi · 3/10 · 14 March 2022]

First; plot is very weak. Characters must be totally isolated in order not to find any clues. Industrialist's son was murdered and the singer can not connect the dots. The woman refusing to identify the murderer is killed and her friend does not go to the police for some unknown reason. At the final scene, everywhere must be full of police but none is seen. All in all, plot is awfully weak.

Second; acting is awful. The killer is supposed to be a complex character in order to attract the singer with his shyness and frighten the woman refusing the to identify him at the police station with his stern looks but instead he is only a meek one-dimensional person without any features.

Thirdly; integration into a socio-political background was superficial by including some scenes of workers and factory.

As a result; the film was revoltingly amateurish.

Hossein underrated French director

[propos-86965 · 8/10 · 20 May 2023]

Robert Hossin directed and started in over 25 films. He had a distinctive "Noir" style. Always exquisitely photographed with a haunting original score. His persona, unlike Tritingant's cerebral quietness, is that of a lost soul searching for love only to be interrupted by violent inner demons. The Vampire of Deseldorf is no exception. The vampire here is a blue beard character who is disarmingly charming. Hossein, with little dialogue, captured the character with his eyes revealing a conflicted interior life.

Other Hossien motifs include wide-angle shots with large well-choreographed crowd scenes, long narrow streets shot at night, and a labyrinth this time made of brush.

Marie-France Pisier, in an early ingenue role, co-stars as a Marlene Dietrich-type cabaret singer. Her scenes include a lovely ballad. The film also includes a fine cast of supporting actors, another Hossein specialty.

Nachts ,wenn Der Teufel Kam....

[dbdumonteil · 3 November 2008]

A subject which was already treated by Lang and Siodmak.It's difficult for a French to create a German atmosphere...In spite of Marie-France Pisier's laudable efforts -her song "la Belle De Nuit" is really spellbinding ,Pia Colombo providing the vocal-but the nightclub looks like an American one,which the final fire reinforces.

Hossein was interested in films noirs ("Toi Le Venin" "Le Jeu de La Verite") and he tried to mix suspense with a political context : the crisis, with the unemployment the demonstrations,and the serpent's egg ,to quote Ingmar Bergman .The problem with the hero is that we know too few things about him (just compare with Mario Adorf's part in Siodmak's movie): once he was sadistically punished ,when he was a child,they buried him to the neck in the sand under a blistering sun,and that's it.

Good scenes: Hosssein and Annie Andersson in the park,just like a romantic couple,till Hossein sees the girl's legs.The caretaker,asking the criminal to knock on his door when he comes back at night;she feels safe when he is at home .The scene in the field when Hossein is scared by a pair of lovers.

Like this?try these,these are essential viewing: "M" Fritz Lang ,1933 "Nachts ,wenn der Teufel kam" Robert Siodmak, 1957