Tartuffe

I assume that today's knowledge of the film is based on the copy widely distributed by F. W. Murnau Stiftung, on DVD, accompanied by a documentary that explains why even today Tartuffe is considered a lost film. Today's copy is short, but it perfectly illustrates Murnau's conception of the typical religious hypocrisy that was as relevant in Molière's time as at any time thereafter. This is a film within a film, which gives a small number of actors in two time periods the opportunity to stand out. In the contemporary version, the classical great actress Rosa Valetti reigns supreme, in the historical version the divine (wonderful, great) Lil Dagover and the brilliant Emil Jannings enjoy their characters from the classical repertoire. It's a good film and doesn't fall far behind compared to The Last Laugh and Faust. (2020.11.03)