seemed way to plain and dull compared to the vision imagined by Brecht! Where are all the self-referential signs, one might ask? Where Brechts vision is somewhat colorfull and bright, the film is a bit un-involving bordering the boring. It feels like they shouldn't have adapted the play, because Brechts form-language, at the time, wasn't adaptable. Beautiful orchestrated tracking shots isn't enough to make this film float.

A couple of the transitions into the songs are awkward, but the pacing is so wonderfully set so that the film is constantly entertaining and doesn't feel at all like a near two hour film. The songs themselves (Particularly "Mack the Knife" and "Pirate Jenny") are just flat out entertaining

I liked this a bit more than Pandora's Box, it's more fun. Those Kurt Weill tunes are terrific, I love the sort of freewheeling creakiness they seem to have. The whole thing is very evocative of a specific time and place (although the place is somehow both German and British). Very enjoyable performances from all involved, and some impressive camerawork. A light-hearted story with a cynical edge.

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#659

A crítica social do filme, embora amansada pelo tom cômico-musical, é bem interessante. Retrata-se o quão a atividade criminosa é compatível com a estrutura capitalista, com um lord dos mendigos ("o homem mais pobre do mundo") e o "romântico" jack the knife. Embora o poder da massa é enorme (cena da coroação), mostra-se como ela é totalmente dominada pelos chefes ("eles não sabem que precisamos deles").

# 658

A wonderful movie at times. Especially visually and the characterization of the roles by the german cast. Much better then the french version that was filmed parallel on the same production with different actors. A very humorously sleazy movie in it's underworld story. Not all that exciting and sometimes a little slow in it's storytelling, but a lot of moments that'll make one smile with the trio of Rudolf Forster, Fritz Rasp and Reinhold Schünzel playing their parts fantastically.

Wonderful cinematography & musical numbers. In fact, I'm fond of many moments and ideas here, but a few performances are still dreadfully in the silent era, and the narrative takes some time to get going.

A very entertaining movie with charming performances and pretty strong songs. It starts off with a dark edge and, while it dulls as the movie progresses, it keeps that core all the way through to the solid ending.

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