Marie isn’t afraid of life or death, her adventures taking her from the red-light district to the graveyard, facing down her fate without shame dressed in her civilian uniform. Once again, Josef von Sternberg and his DP Lee Garmes capture the legendary beauty of Marlene Dietrich in wonderfully lighted black & white compositions. Her introduction is wonderful as Garmes focuses upon a streetwalker’s stockinged leg and casually pans up as she exposes her garter. We get a full body shot of this woman as she turns towards sirens, her face hidden in shadow but for a sliver of flesh: this revelation is both sexy and mysterious. The use of slow dissolve transitions adds an eerie and ominous tone to the story. And if you would like to see Marlene Dietrich caterwaul while hiding from a blindfolded Russian General, this film is for you!
This is a strange film whose strident morality is left unexplained and cryptic. Marie is a War Widow who prostitutes herself to survive yet accepts the job as spy X-27 to serve her country. Yet she subverts this very notion when she encounters a Russian Colonel (Victor McLaglen) who does little but grin maniacally and show off his patriarchal entitlement. This strange affair which eventually leads to her dishonorable discharge (by firing squad) seems little based on love but instead respect and intellectual affection, as if they see their best qualities, of mercy, kindness, and ego, reflected in each other’s soul. Maybe that is love? It’s interesting because though they spend a night together after she’s captured by him in Russia, it’s not solely a physical infatuation. She then escapes and returns the favor many weeks later! Even the scene when she “allows” him to escape is ambiguous in intent: she holds him at gunpoint then fumbles the weapon. Was this an intentional faux pas, allowing him to “save face” and retain his male authority? Even facing death, she is unapologetic and avers that her service to her countrymen was more important than to her country. The execution scene is quite poignant, as a young officer breaks down and refuses a direct order. Marie refuses the blindfold and uses it to wipe the young soldier’s eyes. Wow.
Final Grade: (B+)