Piccadilly

Ewald André Dupont's Piccadilly is one of the German director's most successful films. Dupont himself started out as a film critic and screenwriter. After gaining a lot of experience, including working on his own series, he was named one of the top ten directors for Variety by the American magazine Film Daily. However, he did not enjoy a significant Hollywood career and made his best works in Europe. Before Piccadilly, it was Moulin Rouge, and then Atlantic and The Marathon Runner. After 1933, he was forced to work in Hollywood again, where his career was diluted to the very end. As for the film itself, I must add that it’s never been a better time to watch Piccadilly. The glorious world of high society in the whirlwind nightlife of 1929 puts me in a whirlwind too. There’s morality in decline, a fantastic story full of unexpected twists and turns, and in one of the supporting roles, the demonic Cyril Ritchard, who was murdered by Anny Ondra in the same year when he made her a totally inappropriate offer of sex for payment. Well, in certain ways and at certain times, London had a lot to offer. It’s a feast for the eyes and it has an excellent soundtrack and captivating costumes, and the overall mood is bliss. (12/05/2012)