Inge und die Millionen

A well scripted and captivating thriller about the owners of a small private bank in Berlin, squeezing money out of honest business firms, causing their bankruptcies, and then trying to smuggle the cash into Switzerland. The two unscrupulous bankers are played by Wegener and Wallburg, but they're realistic portraits, Wegener even has a certain dignity, they're no propaganda caricatures. Brigitte Helm is Wegener's secretary and former mistress and against her will is half-involved in all this. In the beginning, she takes a suitcase with cash by train from Berlin to Schaffhausen/Switzerland (nice location shots), then she meets an honest romantic young man (Eichberger) and she's torn between him and her boss which is evident by her sad and subdued air throughout the film. (Being a banker's mistress, her clothes are gorgeous of course.) There's an interesting confrontation scene between Wegener and the workers of a small transportation business gone bankrupt, having their vehicles sold away at an auction. The indignation of the workers against the capitalist speculators rings true. The film has a documentary look most of the time (lots of Berlin locations) , but Carl Hoffmann manages to insert a few great expressionistic shots during night scenes.