The Queen of Spades

Some very novel and eye-catching cinematography from Otto Heller, who's having a lot of fun here with strong lighting, high contrast, shadows and fog, Dutch angles, and all sorts of mannered framing. Other than that, it sorta washed over me.

Walbrook gives a great performance, but the story seems better in theory than execution. Not that it isn't a fun and tense experience, but while both the atmosphere and plot are well executed they don't quite seem in sync with each other.

Sleep inducing, but nice cinematography.

Disappointingly slow-moving but splendidly atmospheric recreation of an old Russian story with all the decorative stops out; the chills when they come are quite frightening, the style is impressionist and the acting suitably extravagant.

72.500

Dated but enjoyable. Some atmospheric scenes and intriguing characters. The Russian setting sets it apart from other period melodramas.

61.250

Too bad about the slow build-up, for the final act was dark and brilliant! Really expressive and paranoid as Anton Walbrook wants a old lady dead to steal her deal with the devil about being unbeatable at card games. They really went the tragic route.