Lorre + Literary + Sternberg

Crime and Punishment (1935) Comes To The Talking Screen

Peter Lorre is so twitchy after committing murder as to alert a dumbest observer of his guilt, but fun's in seeing him march the course toward owning up. How much of this is Dostoevsky? I've not cracked a binding on any Russian novel, let alone impenetrable Fyodor (yes, that's his first name ... did you know? ... I didn't). Direction is Von Sternberg, each shot B/W painterly, and reason to watch even when Lorre outstays patience. I like this actor, perhaps best at lower dosage. He's teamed with Edward Arnold in a way that anticipates later pairings with Sydney Greenstreet at Warner Bros. Did writers there consult Crime and Punishment for ideas?



A C&P Still Taken by von Sternberg

The story's a continuous downer, so be prepared, though fun can be had by taking Lorre less serious. He summons M personage to maniacal effect. Roles like this and a same year's Mad Love might have typecast him fatally had not Mr. Moto come to a rescue. Lorre's lucky he didn't get shunted into horror films for keeps, like fellow import Bela Lugosi. PL may have had smoother way with industry folk who'd cast him more favorably (Lorre buddied up with Bogart and power peers that helped later). He'd have his cult, further underground than for most players ... anyone too into Lorre would have to be a little bent. Confirm of that might be real-life Hillside Stranglers' sparing of PL's daughter they stopped in traffic with initial intent to kill, but relented because of who she turned out to be. Google this for details --- a chilling story. Crime and Punishment turns up on TCM, and the print is lovely.