This is from the play of the same name by Brecht and Weill, who are Otter Family Favorites.

I have seen this three times, twice on stage and this movie, and each time it was radically different. The first one, which I saw with the Barracuda, had a guy in it she had a crush on, Handsome Richard, and while we were in the lobby waiting to go in I found myself accosted by the Lizard Woman's Son, whom I had played D&D with and who had a crush on me (ew ew ew) so we ran and hid in the ladies' room and screamed with laughter. I think it was a fairly standard production of the play, but truthfully, all I remember is the horror of that icky guy advancing happily toward me across the lobby, wearing a day-glo green leisure suit. ew ew ew.

Then a few years ago Mr. Otter and I went into San Francisco with La Cuerva and her family to see a production that supposedly was the actual way that Weill wanted it to be. When it was first produced in America, one of the principal actors was in a car crash and it was rewritten to take this into account; this production went back to the original script.

And then this movie, which was such a rewrite that Brecht pulled out from writing it and there were lawsuits. And the Nazis didn't like it because it implied that the chief of police was on the take (EVERYONE in this movie is on the take) so it was banned.

And yet. This is a Criterion release, which means that it's restored, has great special features, and is definitely worth the (high) price. The movie itself, taken alone, is wonderful. Beautifully filmed, good actors, good plot, and of course Weill's songs. And the SUBTITLES! The English translation (it's in German, duh) are excellent, but the translations of the songs are the best I've ever seen- almost word for word, rhyming and scanning perfectly, really lovely.

A wonderful film to see, for so many reasons: the songs, the story, the quality of the cinematography, the actors and settings, the subtitles...a real winner, all around.

Especially if the Lizard Woman's Son never comes near me again.