"Backstairs" is an interesting little film. It's post-"Caligari", but still early in the golden age of Weimar cinema. Carl Mayer, co-screenwriter of "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari", authored this film, which is a precursor to his expounding of visual storytelling in "The Last Laugh". Yet, "Backstairs", without F.W. Murnau and Karl Freund, isn't as visually brilliant as "The Last Laugh" (in addition to later pictures penned by Mayer), but the makers of "Backstairs", at least, have a good notion of what movies should be: a visual art form.
As with "The Last Laugh", there are few intertitles. In this experiment, the actors are relied upon most heavily to convey the story, which is simply a love triangle. The acting is dated, blunt, rigid and histrionic, but the three principles do well, I think, in carrying the plot. Moreover, the ending seems to draw attention to this highly stylized acting--and even celebrates it. Crowds of actors call attention to their rigidity and sudden bursts of expressive blocking by performing in unison. The studio sets help somewhat, too. The circumscribed neighborhood is very tactile, with rough contours and lit windows standing out.
In addition to Mayer, two talented filmmakers would eventually emerge from here: William Dieterle, who plays the postman, became a prominent Hollywood director, often paying homage to the films of Weimar Germany. And, Paul Leni ("Waxworks", "The Cat and the Canary") worked on the set design and apparently co-directed this picture. Anyhow, "Backstairs" is a highly stylized, reflexive and artistic film, which is very much in line with the most exciting and innovative films of Weimar Germany. The main problem with this exercise in visual film-making, however, is in neglecting the role of the camera, for a visually theatrical movie, rather than a cinematic one.
As with "The Last Laugh", there are few intertitles. In this experiment, the actors are relied upon most heavily to convey the story, which is simply a love triangle. The acting is dated, blunt, rigid and histrionic, but the three principles do well, I think, in carrying the plot. Moreover, the ending seems to draw attention to this highly stylized acting--and even celebrates it. Crowds of actors call attention to their rigidity and sudden bursts of expressive blocking by performing in unison. The studio sets help somewhat, too. The circumscribed neighborhood is very tactile, with rough contours and lit windows standing out.
In addition to Mayer, two talented filmmakers would eventually emerge from here: William Dieterle, who plays the postman, became a prominent Hollywood director, often paying homage to the films of Weimar Germany. And, Paul Leni ("Waxworks", "The Cat and the Canary") worked on the set design and apparently co-directed this picture. Anyhow, "Backstairs" is a highly stylized, reflexive and artistic film, which is very much in line with the most exciting and innovative films of Weimar Germany. The main problem with this exercise in visual film-making, however, is in neglecting the role of the camera, for a visually theatrical movie, rather than a cinematic one.