Fritz Lang’s Liliom starring a not very sympathetic Charles Boyer

LACMA has presented in July a Charles Boyer retropective.  Boyer was one of the top stars in the Silver Age, generally the thirties through the fifties, He had been labeled as box office poison by many producers, including David O. Selznick.  Later, he became a character actor in both French and English language films.  Unfortunately, he killed himself after losing his wife of many years in 1978.

I must admit I know him best from “Gaslight.”  He played the haughty antagonist deliverately deceiving Ingrid Bergman into thinking she was mad so he could get to the hidden loot.  In fact, the second film of the kick off night on July 11th, 2008, was “A Women’s Vengeance.”  His role was way too similar to “Gaslight” that I really had problems enjoying it.

Fritz Lang directed one of the most famous silents ever made, “Metropolis.”  He definitely had a dark style that made him a favorite of those who enjoy film noir.  His “Woman at the Window” and “Scarlet Street” were great sucesses that teamed up Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett and Dan Duryea together.

In 1935, Hitler was in power and many artists left Germany.  Before he left the continent, he directed his only French film.  Boyer had the title role in “Liliom.” actually not a very likable person at all.  He plays a carnival roustabout, enticing and even bullying a customer to take the merry go round ride.

Madeleine Ozeray plays Julie who become completely devoted to Liliom.  Not only is life blind, it appears to also be quite deaf and dumb in her place.  He gets himself fired from the carnival, moves in with her and loafs around while she works as a photographer’s assistant.  He goes after other women right in front of her while demanding to be waited on.  He even slaps her and breaks her cups and dishes for no real reason.

He gets involved in a scheme to rob a paymaster who has money to take to the bank.  He and his confederate, Pierre Alcover, are surprised when it’s an undercover cop instead and Boyer kills himself with a knife to evade capture.

Here’s where we get Lang’s vision for the afterlife.  Because he’s such a low life, he only gets to see the commissioner who gives him a chance to return to earth sixteen years later for one day.  When he died, his wife was expectant with child.  When he sees his daughter, he only hears good things coming out of his daughter’s mouth, saying what a good man he was.  He is shocked that his Julie has immediately forgiven him all these years.  While he’s really not able to right a wrong, he is at last able to find inner peace.

Quite long for its time, 118 minutes, this is a fascinating film of both Lang and Boyer.  Hard to watch in many places and not entirely satisfying, it is above average.

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