The Secret Killer (1965)
"Le vampire de Düsseldorf" (original title)

A true story of Peter Kurten, a serial killer who committed nine murders and many other offenses in Dusseldorf during the Great Depression era.

Director:

Robert Hossein

Writers:

Robert Hossein (story), Claude Desailly (story),

Stars:

Robert Hossein, Marie-France Pisier, Roger Dutoit

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Hossein	...	Peter Kuerten
Marie-France Pisier	...	Anna
Roger Dutoit	...	Commissaire Momberg
Annie Anderson	...	Paula
Michel Dacquin	...	Beck
Anne Carrère
Norma Dugo	...	Une fille
Jessica
Paul Pavel	...	Lehndorf
Robert Le Béal	...	Schroeder
Colette Régis	...	La patronne du cabaret
Jean-Michel Rouzière
André Badin	...	Le garçon du dancing (as Badin)
Tony Soler	...	Mme Loebel
Tanya Lopert	...	Une fille

Storyline

A true story of Peter Kurten, a serial killer who committed nine murders and many other offenses in Dusseldorf during the Great Depression era.

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Plot Keywords:

place name in title

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Spain Italy France

Language:

French

Release Date:

7 April 1965 (France)

Also Known As:

The Secret Killer

Filming Locations:

Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 5,381,578 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Productions Georges de Beauregard, Maleno Malenotti, Mega Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Robert Hussein reads the "Frankfurter Rundschau". Although an article is shown about the vampire of Düsseldorf, another article is about eastern Berlin. The newspaper itself is from the 1960s. The Frankfurter Rundschau was founded after the Second World War. It did not exist in the 30s.

User Reviews

Nachts ,wenn Der Teufel Kam....

A subject which was already treated by Lang and Siodmak.It's difficult for a French to create a German atmosphere...In spite of Marie-France Pisier's laudable efforts -her song "la Belle De Nuit" is really spellbinding ,Pia Colombo providing the vocal-but the nightclub looks like an American one,which the final fire reinforces.

Hossein was interested in films noirs ("Toi Le Venin" "Le Jeu de La Verite") and he tried to mix suspense with a political context : the crisis, with the unemployment the demonstrations,and the serpent's egg ,to quote Ingmar Bergman .The problem with the hero is that we know too few things about him (just compare with Mario Adorf's part in Siodmak's movie): once he was sadistically punished ,when he was a child,they buried him to the neck in the sand under a blistering sun,and that's it.

Good scenes: Hosssein and Annie Andersson in the park,just like a romantic couple,till Hossein sees the girl's legs.The caretaker,asking the criminal to knock on his door when he comes back at night;she feels safe when he is at home .The scene in the field when Hossein is scared by a pair of lovers.

Like this?try these,these are essential viewing: "M" Fritz Lang ,1933 "Nachts ,wenn der Teufel kam" Robert Siodmak, 1957