Robert Siodmak's first German career was about to come to an end."Brennendes Geheimnis" was to be his last before Goebbels drove him away from his land.The last pictures have become prophetic: a woman draws the curtains ,a very poetic scene in a story which was filmed several times,in the silent era and then in the seventies.
A boy and his mother stay in a hotel near a lake.The teenager meets a fascinating man who can be a singer,a conjurer ,and can take him for a ride in his sport car.Then the mother seems attracted by the man too.The boy's jealousy rises,culminating in a scene on the road at night where the boy waits for the man who is stealing his mum.
The boy discovers how hard it is to grow up.Is he himself in love with his mother ,or does he fear his parents' marriage may be in jeopardy.The young actor who plays Edgar is very convincing in an ambiguous part.
Afterward,Siodmak left Germany for France where he began a new career by directing the indifferent "Sexe Faible" .Some of his FRench films ("Pièges" "Mister flow" ) were interesting but the best was definitely "Mollenard" which predated all his outstanding films noirs of the forties.
Like this?try these
The Fallen Idol Carol Reed 1948
Le Soufflé Au Coeur Louis Malle 1971
