Mazurka

MAZURKA tells the story of Lisa, a teen-age music conservatory student, stalked by famed concert pianist Grigorij Michailow. After a contrived meeting, Michailow charms Lisa into sneaking out of her well-to-do home to tryst the following night. He takes her to a sleazy dive, where world-weary tart Vera entertains riff-raff nightly with her warbling. During her act, Vera spots Michailow kissing Lisa and she promptly faints. She's carried to her dressing-room as the pianist and his intended prey make for the exit. Vera grabs a gun and charges through the nightclub screaming out Michailow's true name - and as he turns to look at her, she shoots him. What follows is an involving courtroom melodrama where the story's shocking answer to "why" is revealed through flashbacks... Pola Negri, silent star of German UFA & Hollywood film, is extraordinary in her first German talkie. She wrings every drop of pathos from a character who goes from a frivolous young operetta star to a jaded & degraded underworld "entertainer", who finds herself on trial for her life. The reasons why Negri's Vera won't help with her own defense (and the sacrifice she makes) make this a real tearjerker.