If James Cagney had played Paul Krohl and Greta Garbo (who had in fact turned down the part) had played Marta Molnar, this film would be a lot better known than it is. Because the leading roles were played by the lesser-known Warren William and Lili Damita, the film is neglected, although neither Cagney, Garbo, nor anyone else, for that matter, could have bettered the performances. When this film is reviewed, reviewers, who are not averse to writing hatchet jobs on creaky old black and whites, instead write comments like: "Not at all bad," and "Uncommonly well acted."
The film closely follows the life of the crooked Swedish safety-match tycoon Ivar Kreugar, right up to his suicide, after being caught trying to sell forged Italian government bonds. There are a few scenarios which are made up for the purposes of the film, otherwise the story of Paul Krohl is in perfect accord with the facts, right down to the invention of the three-on-a-match superstition in an attempt to get people to use more matches. This film is well-layered, a perfect analysis of modern industrialism. It shows that products are successful only because they have a limited life. The scenes of Krohl working as a sweeper at a ball-park shows that an industry has arisen dealing with the spent products. The doomed love affair with Marta Molnar shows that he is trapped by the industrialisation process, which relies on the money he has borrowed, eventually bringing about his ruin. Warren William's acting cannot be praised enough. He is totally convincing, as he manipulates people with his reassuring, "Never worry about it till it happens, and I'll take care of it then." Lili Damita provides some light relief, as she unsuccessfully spurns Krohl's advances; and is, as we all know, exceptionally good-looking.
This film is well worth watching.
The film closely follows the life of the crooked Swedish safety-match tycoon Ivar Kreugar, right up to his suicide, after being caught trying to sell forged Italian government bonds. There are a few scenarios which are made up for the purposes of the film, otherwise the story of Paul Krohl is in perfect accord with the facts, right down to the invention of the three-on-a-match superstition in an attempt to get people to use more matches. This film is well-layered, a perfect analysis of modern industrialism. It shows that products are successful only because they have a limited life. The scenes of Krohl working as a sweeper at a ball-park shows that an industry has arisen dealing with the spent products. The doomed love affair with Marta Molnar shows that he is trapped by the industrialisation process, which relies on the money he has borrowed, eventually bringing about his ruin. Warren William's acting cannot be praised enough. He is totally convincing, as he manipulates people with his reassuring, "Never worry about it till it happens, and I'll take care of it then." Lili Damita provides some light relief, as she unsuccessfully spurns Krohl's advances; and is, as we all know, exceptionally good-looking.
This film is well worth watching.