Asphalt is about the young traffic officer Albert Holk, who falls in love with a sly thief. An inner struggle between duty and love follows.
This simple story would have become a sweet melodrama, where it not that Joe May would have been the director. May was in 1929, when this film came out, already an experienced director who made 64 movies. Although this Austrian film-maker, who made his first film in 1911, had his own production company, he made this film for UFA, Germany's largest production company at that time. Under the name of Fred Majo, May wrote with Hans Székely and Rolf E. Vanloo, who wrote the original story, the script.
May thought that a film had to appeal to everybody in the world and he did not differ from that philosophy when he made this film. Although Asphalt is set in Berlin's busy city center, it could also been set in New York. I would even say more strongly; Due to the underexposure and rapid editing, which boosts the hectic in the big city, it seems a bit like an early American film noir.
When the movie begins, we'll see road workers asphalting the road after which the graphically beautiful looking title appears on the screen. That's going to promise something, German expressionist title cards, for sure. As a former graphic designer, my heart is skipping a beat. But when I see the first title card, I have to adjust my expectations, it's a normal font that was probably used often in the 20's. Oh never mind, I enjoy the flashy editing that promises a story with speed. We see our young hero directing the busy traffic. He enjoys that, in the middle of the street, between the dangerous raging traffic is Albert Lord and Master. On his way home he sees a riot, citizens catch a handsome thief. As a faithful lawman, he takes it on himself to arrest her. In the car to the police station, the cunning Else shows one of her tricks and begins to weep continuously. Yes, in 1929 they called it weeping. The naïve Albert after a while gives in and agrees to bring her home to pick up her papers. This is the beginning of a predictable and moralistic story. So moralistic is this story even that when Albert spends the night with Else and they wake up, Albert is still completely dressed, including tie. You might think that the American Catholic National Legion of Decency originated in Germany.
The editing slows down after a while less and May gives the emotions of Albert and Else more space, which brings more depth in this penny-dreadful. Gustav Frölich, who plays Albert, began his career as editor of a provincial newspaper and as a writer of dime novels. So he had some knowledge when he appeared in this dime novel. Frölich, who made his first film in 1922, was a highly respected and popular actor who already proved himself in 1927 with his role in Metropolis. Even in Asphalt, he proves to be a good actor. He made films in Germany almost continuously until the 1980s. He had a small forced break between 1941 and 1943 when he was suspended because he had hit Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
Also, Betty Amann plays her role as a cunning thief excellent. Asphalt was her second lead in a feature film. She was asked for a screening test because she looked like Louise Brooks, but with her interpretation of Else, she proves to just as good as Brooks. The press was also impressed by Amann, they praised the new discovery of the UFA. After Hitler came to power in Germany, she left for England, but because she did not get a foot in the door in the film industry, she returned to Germany for a short while, where she worked until 1937, after which she left for America. Again, she did not really succeed as an actress and she made her last film in 1943. But Germany did not forget her because she received the Film Band in Gold in 1987 for her work in the German film industry.
Then there’s Albert Steinrück, who plays Alberts's father, and Else Heller, who plays Alberts's mother. Steinrück, who usually played cruel fathers, was given the chance to play a loving father. He plays his role very good, but does not know how to transfer the discrepancy towards the end of the film.
Theater actress Else Heller plays her role as an affectionate mother, with the exception of one scene in which she acts a bit over the top, as well excellent.
Finally, the villain, and also Else's boyfriend Konsul Langen, is played by Hans Adalbert Schlettow. I'm sorry that he hardly appears in the movie. I myself would’ve found it interesting to see some more of his criminal activities so that I could have developed some healthy aversion against him. It would’ve also made Else more sympathetic. Schlettow began his career playing lovers, but gradually he was asked more for villains. This was just his thing because he was also a rogue in real life. He made with enthusiasm a lot of Nazi propaganda and was informant of the Nazis. But let's not be hateful, he died at the battle of Berlin in 1945.
Asphalt is definitely worth watching, just because of the good performances and the beautiful cinematography and editing.
Asphalt 1929 film
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