‘Hangmen Also Die’ beautifully restored on Blu-ray

Sept. 18, 2014 | G. Michael Dobbs
news@thereminder.com

Brian Donlevy silences Anna Lee in a tense moment from “Hangmen Also Die.”
Reminder Publications submitted photo

A great movie has been released in a new restored Blu-ray edition.

On Blu-ray: Hangmen Also Die

Fritz Lang is one of my favorite directors and this 1943 war drama is making its Blu-ray debut in a stunning restoration.

Lang fled Nazi Germany after having a spectacular career during the silent era. His silent films included a series on the super criminal Dr. Mabuse, the seminal science fiction film “Woman in the Moon,” and “Metropolis,” one of my favorite motion pictures.

His sound debut in 1930 was with his production of “M” starring Peter Lorre, which became an instant crime classic.

Lang became known during his Hollywood career for his dark cynical views and had a tough reputation himself. He seemed like a caricature of a director with his autocratic ways and his habit of wearing a monocle.

My late friend, film producer Richard Gordon, worked with Lang on a project and told me he could be quite charming when he wanted. He once introduced himself to Richard’s secretary as Dr. Mabuse!

Lang was at the height of his Hollywood career when he collaborated with another German refugee writer Bertolt Brecht on “Hangman.” It is based very loosely on the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, the brutal Nazi leader of occupied Prague.

The movie’s plot uses the actual historical event of the assassination as the starting point for an elaborate war-time thriller involving the underground trying to protect the man who pulled the trigger.

Lang and Brecht explore the conflicted emotions when a member of a family is threatened with death as well as the nature of sacrifice during war.

Brian Donlevy stars as Svoboda, the doctor turned assassin. It is the first of several interesting casting decisions as it’s a role outside of the usual urban tough guy parts Donlevy usually had. Character actor Walter Brennan also had an unusual part, that of an urbane history professor. Both actors rose to the occasion and delivered solid performances.

Although more than two hours long, “Hangman” moves at a fast pace and Lang presents the often complicated plot in a straight forward manner.

Lang does portray the Nazis as preening sadistic villains. There is no grey here with him, but considering his own background, that should be understandable.

This is classic Hollywood filmmaking at its best with a sophisticated script, good performances and a director with a style and attitude.

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