The
Mask of Dimitrios (1944) Warner Brothers
“In
1938, the Dutch mystery writer Cornelius Leyden [Peter Lorre] is visiting
Istanbul. A fan, Colonel Haki of the Turkish police, believes that Leyden would
be interested in the story of Dimitrios Makropoulos [Zachary Scott], whose body
was just washed up on the beach. Leyden is so fascinated by what Haki tells of
the dead criminal that he becomes determined to learn more. On his travels,
Leyden meets Mr. Peters [Sydney Greenstreet]” who becomes entangled in his
investigations, leading to a bloody denouement. – Wikipedia.
Sydney
Greenstreet and Peter Lorre had a glorious five-year run as onscreen partners
and foils, starting with The Maltese Falcon (1941) and ending with The
Verdict (1946). Good friends in real life, in The Mask of Dimitrios
they seem to have switched character expectations, with Lorre playing a
respectable intellectual and Greenstreet a shady underworld figure. I first
became aware of this film on TCM; it does not seem to be one of the most
classic of film noirs, but has intriguing charms of its own. I never seem to be
able to catch it on TV for a complete viewing; this DVD should obviate that pesky
irritation.
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