The Blue Angel
A rigid German professor’s attempt to police a decadent cabaret leads him into an obsessive romance and a devastating collapse of status.
Overview
A rigid professor's life spirals into chaos as he becomes entranced by a cabaret singer.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- brooding
- seductive
- melancholic
- classic film night
- german cinema showcase
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark German tragedy, praising its atmospheric direction and the commanding performances of Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Immanuel Rath abandons his respectable teaching identity as his fixation on Lola Lola intensifies.
The Blue Angel cabaret draws Rath away from the school and into a permissive entertainment world he initially condemns.
The black-and-white compositions, stage imagery, and grotesque performance atmosphere mirror Rath's humiliation and disintegration.
Rath begins as a rigid professor but becomes increasingly exposed, mocked, and degraded in the cabaret and beyond.
Films like The Blue Angel, and why
Sunset Boulevard
A psychologically intense, visually stylized portrait of sexual obsession and personal downfall centered on a charismatic performer.
A Star Is Born
A tragic backstage drama where desire, performance, and emotional dependency corrode an unequal relationship.
Letter from an Unknown Woman
A classic European melodrama about erotic fixation, social constraint, and a protagonist's devastating loss of control.
The Passion of Joan of Arc
A black-and-white psychological drama pairing romantic obsession with the collapse of an isolated man's social identity.
Movie Details
- Director
- Josef von Sternberg
- Release Date
- 1930-04-01
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (382)
Cast
- Emil Jannings
- Marlene Dietrich
- Kurt Gerron
- Rosa Valetti
- Hans Albers
- Reinhold Bernt
- Károly Huszár
- Eduard von Winterstein
- Hans Roth
- Rolf Müller
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Kino Film Collection, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Blue Angel about?
- A rigid German professor’s attempt to police a decadent cabaret leads him into an obsessive romance and a devastating collapse of status.
- What is The Blue Angel like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Blue Angel as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Blue Angel violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Blue Angel.
- What did critics think of The Blue Angel?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a landmark German tragedy, praising its atmospheric direction and the commanding performances of Marlene Dietrich and Emil Jannings.
- Which films are like The Blue Angel?
- Films with a similar feel include Sunset Boulevard, A Star Is Born, Letter from an Unknown Woman, and The Passion of Joan of Arc.
- How long is The Blue Angel?
- The Blue Angel runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Blue Angel?
- In United States, The Blue Angel streams on Kino Film Collection, Artiflix.
