Alraune

Unusual horror film pearl with Hildegard Knef and Erich von Stroheim

This German black-and-white film premiered on October 23, 1952 at the Europa-Filmpalast Düsseldorf and is based on the novel (1911) by Hanns Heinz Ewers, which has already been filmed several times. The film was directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt and produced by, among others, the Carlton Filmgesellschaft, whose producer Günther Stapenhorst, as UFA production manager at the time, supervised the Kästner film adaptation "Emil and the Detectives" (1931), which is still well worth seeing, and a few years later the was supposed to produce the legendary film adaptation of "Im Weißen Rössl" (1960) with Peter Alexander. "Alraune" was shot in the Bavaria film studio Geiselgasteig and on exterior shots in Munich and the surrounding area.

What's it about? A beautiful young woman named Alraune (Hildegard Knef) casts a mysterious spell on all men who lay eyes on her. This is what happens to young Frank Braun (Karlheinz Böhm) and his friends (including the fabulous and very attractive Harry Meyen) when they discover the unknown beauty in Frank's uncle's garden. This Professor Jacob ten Brinken (Erich von Stroheim) is a somewhat strange fellow. And so it gradually turns out that the young woman, whom the old scientist introduces as his daughter, was born in a very bizarre way. This is how the misfortune takes its course. Although Alraune has unusual powers that prove to be very rewarding financially, her magical attraction to men is causing more and more people to fall into ruin, without her longing for her own true love being fulfilled.

This eerily sparkling film gem indulges in expressionism and horror romance and, with its dark atmosphere and great cast, is a real treat for film enthusiasts. Hildegard Knef inspires and convinces as an unearthly beauty. After her return from Hollywood, she made one film after another in those years and was (still) the undisputed superstar of the Federal Republic film industry.

Erich von Stroheim (1885-1957), born in Vienna, had lived in the USA since 1909 and became an important director and film actor there (for example in the Billy Wilder classics "Five Graves to Cairo" (1943) and "Boulevard of Twilight" (1950) fits perfectly into the role of the crazy genius.

Karlheinz Böhm (three years later he would achieve worldwide fame alongside Romy Schneider in the "Sissi" films) and Harry Meyen, who undeservedly never made it that big (a decade later, Romy Schneider's first husband) fit perfectly arrogant charmers who cannot escape the mysterious magic of dangerous beauty.

In a supporting role, Hans Cossy (the actor was the first husband of the woman later known as Vera Brühne, who was to become a defendant in a spectacular murder trial in the early 1960s, which was then made into a film with Corinna Harfouch in the title role) impresses as the coachman Mathieu , who will be remembered for his striking face and his imposing appearance.

This film is very worth seeing. Great actors, an eerie atmosphere, a horror film that was basically invented in Germany in the 1920s, but unfortunately was later made far too rarely. From February 1957 the film was also shown in the USA under the title "Unnatural...The Fruit of Evil". Von Stroheim was still alive, after her phenomenal Broadway success as Ninotschka in the musical "Silk Stockings", Knef was now also a celebrity in the States as HILDEGARDE NEFF. That probably helped to bring the film, which was already five years old at the time, into cinemas.

The title refers to the German word for Mandrake root. A disturbing and noir-like horror movie that viewers will either love or hate, it has a queasy quality with elements of camp that will either annoy or delight.

Charismatic actor and director Erich von Stroheim, who held his own in Sunset Boulevard, doesn't disappoint here.

Karl Boehm, the wide-eyed, eerily handsome actor who rose to stardom in the British cult horror classic Peeping Tom, is also very watchable.

Context is everything. This is an intriguing horror film that will reward a second viewing.

Unusual if rather tepid "science fiction" drama about a woman created through a combination of artificial insemination and the supernatural properties of the mandrake root (although how this is done is never really explained, and there wasn't a single sci-fi laboratory scene of the kind we are used to seeing). This movie is sometimes categorized as horror, which is simply incorrect, and anyone interested in watching it should know ahead of time that the science fiction content is extremely limited and simply the catalyst for the story. This is essentially the story of a femme fatale and the men she destroys.

Unnatural: Fruit of Evil/Alraune/Mandragore - I have not seen 1918, nor the 1928 or the 1930 versions of this film, so I have nothing to compare this 1952 with.

A scientist has taken the 'seed' of murderer and impregnated a prostitute by artificial insemination. The scientist thought the results would make for a more interesting study from bad people, because good people are so boring - as he explains.

It seems that artificial insemination sparked fears and ideas in people of the early 1900s... but a fairly interesting film came from it. There are better sci-fi horror films of the 1950s but this one is still worth a one time watch.

6.5/10

A dull German thriller with elements of science fiction woven into its femme fatale storyline. Hildegard Knef is the test-tube spawn of a prostitute and executed killer created by an ageing Erich von Stroheim who apparently has the power to beguile every man she meets. A young Karlheinz Bohm plays the young hero who fights his desire for her without passion or conviction - although, to be fair, the pedestrian script gives him little to work with.