Varieté

This under-appreciated classic of German silent cinema stars Emil Jannings as Boss, a middle-aged circus acrobat whose life is derailed by a seductive stranger (Lya de Putti). With a new score by Stephen Horne.

This under-appreciated classic of German silent cinema stars Emil Jannings as Boss, a middle-aged circus acrobat whose life is derailed by a seductive stranger (Lya de Putti). His frankly erotic obsession plays out against a backdrop of seedy showbiz glamour, culminating in trapeze scenes shot at Berlin’s world-famous Wintergarten.

Karl Freund’s vertiginously mobile camera work, which captures the aerial exploits – and emotional turmoil – of Boss and his fellow performers, will have you up there with them, holding your breath... The film is presented here in its 2015 HD digital restoration by the FWMS, with a new score composed by Stephen Horne and performed by Stephen Horne and Martin Pyne.