Drama

The Joyless Street

- Open any door in Melchior Alley, and you'll come face to face with naked misery.

In 1921, we follow two women - Marie and Grete - from the same poor Viennese neighborhood, as they try to better the lives of themselves and their families during the period of Austrian postwar hyperinflation.

Release Date : 1925-03-01

Language :No Language

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Sofar-Film

Production Country : Germany

Alternative Titles : The Street of Sorrow

Cast

Character Name : Josef Geiringer

Original Name : Werner Krauß

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hofrat Rumfort

Original Name : Jaro Fürth

Gender : Male

Character Name : Greta Rumfort

Original Name : Greta Garbo

Gender : Female

Character Name : Maria Lechner (Mizzi)

Original Name : Asta Nielsen

Gender : Female

Character Name : Regine

Original Name : Agnes Esterhazy

Gender : Female

Character Name : Generaldirektor Rosenow

Original Name : Karl Etlinger

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Henry Stuart

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Einar Hanson

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Ilka Grüning

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Gregori Chmara

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Robert Garrison

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Alexander Murski

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Valeska Gert

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Hertha von Walther

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Otto Reinwald

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Sylvia Torff

Gender : Male

Character Name :

Original Name : Loni Nest

Gender : Female

Character Name :

Original Name : Mario Cusmich

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2022-06-06

This is quite a complex and telling tale of a poverty-stricken family struggling to survive in a post Great war Vienna at the star of the 1920s. The extent of their deprivation almost drives Greta Garbo ("Greta") to sell herself to put food on the table, it certainly drives her to petty crime. To be honest this rather drab and gritty story from the pen of Hugo Bettauer (who also wrote the superb "City Without Jews" (1938)) is, in itself, nothing particular to write home about - It's the excellent, earthy and well crafted performances from the sisters "Marie" (Asta Nielsen) and Garbo alongside that of their really quite greedy father "Hofrat Rumport" (Jaro Fürth) and the truly odious people peddler "Metzger" (Werner Krauss) that penetrate deeply. We see a side of a city usually presented accompanied by divine Strauss waltzes with grand costumes and the palaces shown in a completely different light. The direction from Georg Pabst is effective at, though in no great hurry to, immersing us in the true ghastliness of their situations. Garbo, quite literally, shines - her eyes and her features, frequently in intensely potent close up, really breathes life into the production that though quite long, is never dull.