Peter Lorre first and only directorial effort is starkly reminiscent of his Weimar roots in both style and performance. Dr. Rothe(Peter Lorre) kills his fiance after discovering that she has been giving his research to allied forces during the second world war. Seeking punishment for his act Rothe turns himself in to
the Gestappo only to be released because the murder of his wife is seen as "necessary" towards the perseverance of the Nazi-Reich. The state sanctioning of his murderous actions sets him on a killing spree, were he murders young women who resemble his wife. The story is told in retrospect after the war, when Rothe is working as a doctor in a Polish refugee camp. Der Verlorene plays in undeniable parallel to the troubles faced by Lorre upon his return to Germany after years in exile from Hitler's third Reich, focusing on feelings of alienation from a land he once knew. This film isn't as exciting as some of its noir-counterparts, but it is none the less a gritty and dark. Also, Peter Lorre's stellar on screen performance gives this film that extra spark.
February 8, 2012
