Silent Revue: VARIETÉ – 100th Anniversary Screening!

100th Anniversary Screening! 

One of the more recently discovered masterpieces of German Expressionism, VARIETÉ (aka VARIETY) is a breathtaking daredevil act of jealousy, obsession, and murder with unforgettable performances from Emil Jannings and the luminous Lya De Putti. 

Imprisoned for murder, former trapeze artist and sideshow barker Boss Hueller (Jannings) recounts his crime to the warden. Conveyed via flashback, we see Huller’s abandonment of his wife (Maly Delschaft) and child for the young, sultry Berta-Marie (De Putti). The two run off together and Huller forms a new touring trapeze act, with his lover as the star attraction. But when Artinelli (Warwick Ward)—a new performer—joins the show, rage bubbles over. 

A film that inspired both Murnau’s SUNRISE and von Sternberg’s THE BLUE ANGEL, VARIETÉ is an essential masterwork in the German Expressionist movement. With camerawork from the celebrated Karl Freund (METROPOLIS, DRACULA) and filmed within Berlin’s famed Wintergarten Theatre, VARIETÉ is an absolute must-see.

Silent Revue is curated by Alicia Fletcher and generously sponsored by Hollywood Suite

Live accompaniment by Jordan Klapman

Part of the Silent Revue series!

Cast/Crew Info
Director: E.A. Dupont | Cast: Emil Jannings, Maly Delschaft, Lya De Putti, Warwick Ward, Alice Hechy