Aka -Das Ungeheuer von London-City
One would think that some 80 years after Jack the Ripper went on his murder
spree that ladies of the night would know better than to wait for customers
in dark alleys hidden in the shadows. Especially after the murders begin.
A stylish black and white German crime film based on the writings of Bryan
Edgar Wallace. Keeping the murder films in the family. A play has opened
in London about Jack the Ripper and not long after the murders begin. The
killer grabs them, chokes them and then carries them off some short distance
and goes to work with a sharp knife. The slicing is never shown so this falls
into that category I like of not being too graphic - but the murder scenes
are well-done as he closes in on his prey, his face never seen with a high
black hat and large black cape on - his hands reach out and then the cape
covers the cutting. Fairly suspenseful with a room full of suspects that
all look good for the murders simply because they are in the movie.
The lead in the play is Richard Sands (Hansjörg Felmy, whose father
was a Nazi General during WW II) who plays Jack as a Mr. Hyde looking character
which feels all wrong to me. He has been introduced to Ann (Marianne Koch)
by his friend Dr. Morely (Dietmar Schönherr) and quickly falls for her.
The two friends go to visit her father Sir George Edwards (Fritz Tillmann)
who is a member of Parliament and wants to close the play as immoral. Another
possible suspect is the stage manager and Peeping Tom. Or the producer who
is loving the publicity that the killings are giving the play. They are all
equal opportunity suspects and very little is given away. Sir George keeps
going out late at night dressed similarly as Jack but that would be too obvious,
wouldn't it? Or is it a double switch knowing the audience would think it
was too obvious. The murders pile up and become more frequent as women still
hang out in alley ways looking thrilled to see a customer approaching until
he reaches out to strangle them. Then the screaming begins but nobody hears.
Produced by Central Cinema Company (CCC) rivals in the Krimi world to Rialto.
This is good though the actors are not as interesting as those that Rialto
had - a little bland and I will take Karin Dor over Marianne any day. And
without Klaus Kinski it doesn't feel right - and worse they have two private
detectives, male and female, as comedy relief to substitute for Eddie Arent
from Rialto. They are quite awful and unnecessary. The photography (Siegfried
Hold) of London at night is terrific, the busy streets and bright lights
and then the glistening deserted lonely streets waiting for a victim are
paired off with a great jazzy score from Martin Böttcher who has 123
composer credits on IMDB.
