Der Verlorene

Germany, 1943: Karl Rothe, a scientist whose work is vital to the Nazi war effort, murders his lover out of jealousy. The Gestapo helps cover up the crime, and Rothe is left to live with his guilt. When his apartment building lies in ruins, he writes his name alongside those of the victims on a remnant of the wall. The tide turns when, after the war, he encounters his adversary Hösch (Karl John) again. With his pitch-black parable about opportunism and naivety, Peter Lorre broke free from the shadow of his mentors Brecht and Lang. As director, he unflinchingly explores the fate of the protagonist he portrays himself. The film was hailed as a masterpiece by contemporary critics, but audiences stayed away, and Lorre left Europe once again, this time for good. (E.S.)