Pandora's Box

Pandora's Box

1/12/1929 2h 13m 7.5/10

Overview

Lulu is a young woman so beautiful and alluring that few can resist her siren charms. The men drawn into her web include respectable newspaper publisher Dr. Ludwig Schön, his musical producer son Alwa, circus performer Rodrigo Quast, and seedy old Schigolch. When Lulu's charms inevitably lead to tragedy, the downward spiral encompasses them all.

Director

G.W. Pabst

Top Billed Cast

Louise Brooks

Louise Brooks

Lulu

Francis Lederer

Francis Lederer

Alwa Schön

Fritz Kortner

Fritz Kortner

Dr. Ludwig Schön

Carl Goetz

Schigolch

Alice Roberts

Alice Roberts

Countess Anna Geschwitz

Krafft-Raschig

Rodrigo Quast

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

6/6/2022

7/10

Louise Brooks is Peter Pan-esque in this stylishly depicted story of "Lulu". She is beautiful and sexy, and she uses her gifts to effortlessly ensnare the wealthy "Dr. Schön" (Fritz Kortner). When it comes to marriage, however, she is tainted goods and so he becomes affianced to the more suitable "Charlotte" (Daisy D'Ora). He's still the jealous type, though, and is determined she will love no other. To that end he facilitates her joining the theatrical show of his adult son "Alwa" (Francis Lederer), who is none to immune to her charms either! Predictably, this plan only serves to throw oil on the fire and soon the now completely compromised, but smitten, doctor must make a decision he is loathe to - with tragic consequences ensuing for him, and for "Lulu". The performances ooze charisma and personality, the light and shade cleverly create atmospheres of passion, frustration and even some menace as the woman and her life rise and and fall before us. Carl Goetz is quite effective as "Schigolch" - one of her previous examples of collateral damage - as is Krafft-Raschig as the muscle-bound "Quast". By any modern day standard, this is a soap - a very good, well photographed and charming soap - but a soap nonetheless and it stretches the bounds of serendipity and plausibility just once too often for my liking. That said, Brooks turns her hand to just about everything here and is superb - and I did rather enjoy this.

Similar Movies

The Good Shepherd

6.3

The Good Shepherd

2006

Monster's Ball

6.8

Monster's Ball

2001

Sex and Lucía

6.7

Sex and Lucía

2001

The Remains of the Day

7.4

The Remains of the Day

1993

Double Indemnity

8.1

Double Indemnity

1944

Breaking and Entering

6.0

Breaking and Entering

2006

In My Father's Den

7.0

In My Father's Den

2004

Elevator to the Gallows

7.6

Elevator to the Gallows

1958

Don't Worry, I'm Fine

7.2

Don't Worry, I'm Fine

2006