正在同步电影信息
IsawthisattheLondonFilmFestivalin1995or1996.Theprinthadbeenlovinglyrestoredfromsectionsscatteredaroundtheworld,includingsomefromarchivesinMoscow.Somebodynearmesaid"I'mreallylookingforwardtothis",whichwasunderstandable,sincethedirector,asMichaelCurtiz,latermadesomejollyswashbucklersandCasablanca,andtheLFFhadpreviouslycomeupwithseveralalmostunknownsilentmasterpieces,includingJacquesFeyder'sVisaged'enfants.<br/> Well,thepianistwassuperbandthevoice-overtranslator(notimetotranslatetheGermantitles)producedsomesplendidcharacterization.Butabouttenminutesin,peoplerealisedthatthefilmwasincrediblybad,andtheydidn'tevenknowwhenitwouldbeoverasithadn'tbeenprojectedcompletebefore.Watchingitfeltlikeexistentialisthell.Whichwasfairenoughasit'smeanttobeastudyofsinandremorse.Ayoungmanistemptedbysex,drugsandstuff,buthefallsasleepanddreamsofthebiblicalstoryofthedestructionofthecitiesoftheplain,whichareabitlikeViennaandpopulatedbyhislow-lifepals.Whenhewakesup,herepents.Ithinkthesinstuffismeanttobealluringandyou'remeanttothinkthatthedirectorhasbeencleverframingitinamoraltale.Instead,yougettheideathatsinisalotlessinterestingthan,maybe,anovelbyJaneAusten.<br/> ThisepicAustrianproductionwascreditedtoMichaelKertesz,whobecamebetterknownasMichaelCurtiz.ItwasalsothescreendebutofWalterSlezak.MaryConway(LucyDoraine)agreestomarrythewealthyJacksonHarber(GeorgeReimers)tosavehermother(ErikaWagner)fromaforgerycharge.She'sreallyinlovewithHarryLighton,apoorsculptor(KurtEhrle).Attheengagementparty,Lightonshootshimself,andMaryturnsvindictiveandcynical.ShedecidestomakeHarber'sson,Edward(Slezak),fallinlovewithherandshesucceeds.InanattempttosaveEdward,histutor(MichaelVarkonyl)tellshimthestoryofthequeenofsin,whohecomparestoMary.Whenthisdoesn'twork,hegoestoMaryandrelatesthestoryofLot'swife.WhenMaryfallsasleep,shedreams,invividcinematicdetail,aboutthedaysofSodomandGomorrah,inwhichLightonisLotandsheishiswife.Whenshewakesup,shecallsofftheweddingandgoestoLighton,whoisrecoveringfromhiswound.Haberandhissonreconcile.InitsEuropeanrelease,thispicturewas18reelslong;itwascutdowntoeightforreleaseintheStates,butthesevereeditingmadethestorydisjointedandconfusing.
