Die Frau, nach der man sich sehnt

In Marlene Dietrich’s career, 1929 was something of a turning point: it began with the shoot for DIE FRAU, NACH DER MAN SICH SEHNT (Kurt Bernhardt, Germany 1929), her final silent film and first title role, and ended with the rehearsals for Josef von Sternberg’s Der blaue Engel, her national and international breakthrough. In both films, she plays the classic femme fatale - a role in which Marlene Dietrich would become increasingly typecast in the following years. In Bernhardt’s silent film melodrama, she plays Stascha, the mysterious titular “woman who people long for”. On a train ride accompanied by the no less mysterious Dr. Karoff (Fritz Kortner), she meets the young, recently married Henri, who immediately falls for her. At her request that he protect her from Karoff, he leaves his wife and pursues Stascha and Karoff. On New Year’s Eve in Cannes, the situation between the three of them reaches fever pitch. (mg) (mg)