Is this movie worth searching out????
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robin-moss2 — 19 years ago(November 21, 2006 02:25 AM)
Yes! It most certainly is worth seeking out!
This is one of the most perfect films ever made, with a new director just starting and exclusively character actors: not one big star name. It follows the book very closely until right at the end it makes a very small change, and for the better. It is an improvement on Eric Ambler's (the great, great, great Eric Ambler) original novel. One comment says it should have been included in Warners' Film Noir collection. Total, utter rubbish! The Mask Of Dimitrios is not film noir. It is a brilliant, atmospheric crime movie with a wide range of interesting and enjoyable characters.
Good luck with your search. (Warners probably will wake up one day and release it on DVD.) -
estein-3 — 18 years ago(April 23, 2007 08:30 AM)
It is more than worth it - a real gem with the atmosphere of the late 1930's in Eastern Europe. Acting is very well done - only drawback - in the novel the smuglers were importing heroin from Bulgaria (a source at the time) and Dimitrios becomes an addict. The movie (self censorship ?) skips over this. Too bad as it brought an added dimension to the characters.
Keep an eye out on Turner Classic Movies. It played last night (22/4/07) here in France. Copy was quite good. -
trwillett — 18 years ago(November 04, 2007 06:52 AM)
I just watched it on TCMand was fascinated. It's a wonderful story with no heroic figure to cheer on, just the wonderful Lorre as the observer and listener of horrific tales of a truly slimy human being.
I've long been fascinated by Lorrehe brings such a unique flavor to every part. I'm going to check out Amazon.com to see if there's a biography about him.
Time to goThe Maltese Falcon is on!
PrincessDoctorCowboy -
LuciaJoyce — 18 years ago(November 04, 2007 10:17 AM)
I've got "The Mask of Demetrios" on my DVR. Now you've really whetted my appetite!
Wikipedia lists three books on Lorre for "further reading":
Further reading- (1999) Peter Lorre. Midnight Marquee Press. ISBN 1-887-66430-0.
- Youngkin, Stephen D., James Bigwood, and Raymond Cabana (1982). The Films of Peter Lorre. Citadel Press. ISBN 0-8065-0789-6.
- Youngkin, Stephen D. (2005). The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-813-12360-7.
I should warn you he's a Fourierist.
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andypoolhustler — 17 years ago(June 01, 2008 02:18 AM)
I had noticed it got very good points in film books, and i had known the name for a long time of the film, i had the chance to buy it, and i have to say how enjoyable and interesting this film is, its really amazing to find its not on a poll as one of the great films, i found this to be one of the best films Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet have done together, and up there with Maltese Falcon, well its that good that i would say not far behind, and Zachary Scott is very scary in his role, and veery evil in his role, that you almost feel that you want him to be caught in the end. How this is not on dvd is quite amazing. And deserves to be released on dvd.
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wjm6292 — 11 years ago(December 06, 2014 07:28 PM)
it is definitely a very good movie, and it comes on TCM from time to time. i have caught it a couple of times and will probably watch again next time i see it on their schedule. lorre is great, so is greenstreet.