In this poignant tale of Hamburg's Saint Pauli district, a former seaman, now a singer in a sailor's nightclub, opposes his girl's love for a dockworker. Directed by Helmut Kaeutner in 1943/44, this film enjoyed enormous postwar popularity in East and West Germany. Kaeutner makes a stunning use of the new Agfacolor material, and Hamburg never looked more mystical. The film was shot on location and Berlin, but after the air raids in both cities, completed in Prague. Goebbles didn't particularly like this film and didn't allow it to be shown in the Reich. Therefore, German audiences only got to see this movie after 1945. Hans Albers is brilliant, and for fans of him this movie is an absolute must. I personally must have seen this one 8 or 9 times already. The movie also features a couple of good songs, sung by Hans Albers. "La Paloma" is probably the most remembered tune of this film.
Review of Great Freedom No. 7
