Variétés

Variete is a well-directed and well-acted morality play. Chock full of cynical humor and ironic twists, it keeps your attention throughout in expert fashion until the last 20 minutes of the movie. Then things unravel too quickly and too obviously to hit home with the intended impact of the final irony. Still, I give it 7 out of 10.

As the name already indicates "Variety" is situated in a vaudeville setting. It is about trapeze artists who regularly change partners (both in business and in love). Emil Jannings plays a man who leaves his wife for a younger woman but gets very jealous when he is at risk of receiving the same treatment.

The film portrays the decadence of the roaring twenties in Germany. See for example the scene in which the artists have their own afterparty after the show.

The story however is somewhat flawed. The Emil Jannings character has the possibility to take revenge in a way that looks like an accident. Why he does not choose to do so remains unclear.

Above all "Variety" has earned his place in film history due to the dynamic camera movements during the trapeze scenes. In this way the film is more a cinematographer's film than a director's film. Especially Karl Freund would remain a leading cinematographer in decades to come.

In 1915 Germany, burly trapeze artist Emil Jannings (as Stephan "Boss" Huller) leaves his wife and partner for sultry young Lya de Putti (as Berta-Marie). Soon, the carnival performing pair are hired by famed trapezist Warwick Ward (as Artinelli), after his flying brother is derailed by a fall. The high swinging threesome is an immediate success. But, after his trimmer partners begin to take care of their mutual attraction, Mr. Jannings must commit the crime for which he serves ten years in prison - as revealed in the present-day prologue. No doubt, it's going to get nasty…

Appearing decidedly middle-aged, and with his overweight figure impossible to disguise, Jannings is miscast to the point of ridiculous. But, he was so popular most viewers accepted Jannings as the trim athletic "catcher" flying high. For American consumption, Paramount left out Jannings' adulterous first act (and trimmed the remainder of the film). This softens Jannings' character, of course. The film cutters did leave in some flashes of female nipple. That, Jannings, and some great camera-work from Karl Freud made "Varieté" a critical and commercial success in the US.

****** Varieté (11/16/25) E.A. Dupont ~ Emil Jannings, Lya de Putti, Warwick Ward, Maly Delschaft

Wonderful cinematagraphy and cutting influenced other films of the day. The story is old, but made interesting by the acting, sets and location shooting. The trapeze act shots are well worth seeing, though vaudeville and circus fans will be unhappy that there are few other acts shown. However, a 30 or 45 second summary of the variety (vaudeville) show is clever.

The print I saw at New York's Museum of Modern Art did not have the 'prolog' either. Perhaps it was omitted when the film was released in the US.

We are privileged that technology allows us to view such films as this, that are almost 100 years old, in such clarity. The print now available on Blu-ray is stunning and even if, after the first few minutes, one becomes used to this, when the setting switches to Berlin nighttime street scenes, our jaw drops again. Vintage photographs of amazing clarity come alive as buses, taxis and crowds of people jostle as the neon shines brightly in the sky. The vaudeville scenes of the 'Codonas', standing in for our film stars, fly through the air with the greatest of ease and demonstrate their infamous 'triple somersault' with only the excited crowd below. Throughout the film there are wondrous shots of the streets, the circus, the fairground and more intimate cabaret, but also there is a tale to be told. Emil Jannings is our star, seemingly too old for the part and looking more like a builder or truck driver than a trapeze 'catcher' but he was such a popular performer back in the stage and silent film days in Germany, this slight oddity would have gone unnoticed. Even more noticeable is the beautifully strange Lay De Putti who plays the love interest here. or should I say, 'sex interest' for this is a surprisingly saucy and frank portrayal of the natural and obvious appeal of such a young and pretty and half naked dancer and trapeze artiste. Not over long, remarkably involving and most fascinating glimpse into the 'variete' scene in 20s Berlin.