Murderers Are Among Us

1946 DE Wolfgang Staudte
✰✰✰ 1/2

Impressive post-war German mixture of expressionism and neo-realism, combining to form a stylish "rubble film". Shot partly in the streets, immediacy bestows power: this is what Germany ca. '46 looked like. Story is serviceable, constructed of episodes—some better, some worse—about attempts at living, re-starting life after the end of the war, among the ruins and the murderers. Guilt is the constant spectre, passing through everyone, everything. The acting(!): hypnotic and dazzling Hildegard Knef, who herself fled Soviet soldiers and spent time in a prison camp, will haunt you; the power of her intense, penetrating, emotional gaze is indescribable. Along with the outdoor cinematography, the images of her face are the film's highlights. Recommended reading: the production history is worth looking into. Original title: Die Mörder sind unter uns.