F.P.1 Doesn't Answer

The German version of this sci-fi yarn comes a big disappointment all around. Chief liability is Hans Albers, a ham of the first water, who is not only allowed to dominate every scene but indulged with more dialogue than all the rest of the players put together. He just never stops talking. Exotic Sybille Schmitz manages to collar a few nice close-ups, but Peter Lorre is wasted. Most of the time, Lorre simply serves as a listening post for the garrulous Albers.

Oddly, the Droste character (played with reasonable force by Paul Hartmann) has even less footage here than in the cut American version. Indeed, despite the amazing fact that this German version runs 40 minutes longer, the action scenes are more complete and far more convincing in the 74-minute edit. The little bit of extra footage in which Albers is not featured are merely propaganda shots of the German air force conquering the skies.