Highly Overrated But Still Good

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Unnecessary remake that gets most of what made the original distinctive wrong. While May Britt is a very pretty girl she possesses none of the magical allure nor cheap commonness that Marlene Dietrich brought to the part of Lola-Lola. Without those essential elements explaining her ability to ensnare the professor so utterly that he throws his life away on her the picture has an empty center. Also updating the setting to the 50's removes the air of decadent decay that hung over the first's Weimar Germany. There are some good things chief among them Curd Jurgens's lead performance. His slow slide into degradation is compelling and he's the reason to see the film but Dmytryk's direction is listless and therefore the film is uninspired. Interesting to see John Banner who was best known as the simple-minded Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heroes cast here as an erudite educator. He's also quite good in his small role.A foolish decision to remake something so closely associated with one particular legendary figure. A losing proposition from the start, something that Marilyn Monroe, Spencer Tracy & Fredric March-all of whom were offered the roles first and rejected them obviously realized. Why bother when you know from the start your film will never measure up.

Remake of a 1930 classic that starred Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings in a mismatched love affair. In the remake, Curt Jurgens has the Jannings role of an aging professor who becomes entranced with a tawdry cafe singer (Britt). He marries her and it's all downhill from there. He quickly becomes her toady. Britt as the singer Lola Lola is nothing to write home about, but Jurgens pulls out all the stops as the beleaguered professor whose life quickly falls apart after he becomes involved with the singer and her subculture. His marriage proposal scene is almost painful to watch in its intensity. Theodore Bikel plays the singer's impresario. I would suggest you stick with the original. Dietrich exuded a star power that Britt completely lacks. If you do watch it, watch it for Jurgens' masterful portrayal of a desperate man.

Just caught this on Fox Movie Channel, and can only wonder what the execs were smoking! Bad enough this turkey is stuffed with unnecessary exposition, but the ending destroys the whole point of the story! Folks, it doesn't get any sillier than Sgt. Schultz coming to the rescue!In the original, Lola Lola was a heartless bitch, but Dietrich made her utterly captivating. Britt, OTOH, was dull and annoying. And she was tone-deaf! How this got past Dmytryk and his music director is beyond me! It was Rath's vanity as much as his lust that caused his downfall, but Jürgens is too busy trying to look pathetic. How else can I put it? Everything about this Angel is wrong, all wrong!

There are not many remakes that can hold a candle to the original but this one is an exception. A well made production with fine performances from Jurgens and May Britt, who shines as showgirl Lola Lola. Ms. Britt did a wonderful job recreating the old Dietrich role and in my opinion was much better.