Cinema
The Lost One
Der Verlorene
Peter Lorre · 1951
Synopsis
In a post-war refugee camp, Dr Neumeister, the camp doctor, recognises in a newcomer who calls himself Nowak a former colleague, Hösch, wanted for his past under Nazism. Neumeister himself has abandoned his real name, Rothe. Hösch counts on him for help, saying he did him a favour in the past. Rothe then goes back over their shared past: in 1943, in Hamburg, he was researching a serum considered vital to the war effort, and his fiancée, Inge, was spying on the results.
Context
The only film directed by its author, who also plays the lead role and wrote the screenplay, with Benno Vigny and Axel Eggebrecht, from real events. Shooting took place in December 1950 and January 1951, at the Heidenau camp, on the Lüneburg Heath and in the studios of Hamburg and Bendestorf. Released in Cologne on 7 September 1951, the film was a commercial failure and received mixed reviews; Lorre returned to America.
Who it is for
A black and white film told for the most part in flashback, by the man who is its main character.
Prizes and reception
Poorly received on its release, it has since gained in esteem and is now ranked alongside film noir and auteur cinema.