Warner Bros. Pictures
Not part of a collection.
The Mask of Dimitrios
The fabulous tale of a man of mystery!
A mystery writer is intrigued by the tale of notorious criminal Dimitrios Makropolous, whose dead body was found washed up on the shore in Istanbul. He decides to follow the career of Dimitrios around Europe, in order to learn more about the man. Along the way he is joined by the mysterious Mr. Peters, who has his own motivation.
- Original title
- The Mask of Dimitrios
- Language
- EN
- Country
- US
- Budget
- —
- Revenue
- —
John Chard
Feb 10, 2016 · via TMDB
A Coffin for Dimitrios. The Mask of Dimitrios is directed by Jean Negulesco and adapted to screenplay by Frank Gruber from the novel "A Coffin for Dimitrios" written by Eric Ambler. It stars Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Zachary Scott and Faye Emerson. Music is by Adolph Deutsch and cinematography by Arthur Edeson. "For money, some men will allow the innocent to hang. They will turn traitor...they will lie, cheat, steal...they will kill. They appear brilliant, charming, generous! But they are deadly. Such a man was Dimitrios" Dimitrios alright - ruthless and primitive. Foreign intrigue mystery thriller dressed up in film noir clobber, Jean Negulesco's film is a treat for the so inclined. Often tagged as the inferior baby brother of John Huston's The Maltese Falcon, that statement shouldn't detract from what a good film Dimitrios is. Plot finds Lorre as mystery novelist Cornelius Leyden, who after learning of the body of master scally-wag Dimitrios Makropoulos (Scott) being washed up dead on the shores of the Bosphorus, seeks out his history in the hope of writing a novel about him - aided by the suspicious Mr. Peters (Greenstreet). What he finds is waters more muddier and deeper than the Bosphorus itself. Narrative is a two pronged affair, we are in the company of Leyden and Peters during real time, and in the dubious company of Dimitrios in a number of flashbacks that introduce new characters that are bruised and battered, or worse, by Dimitrios' actions. The story moves through a number of exotic European locations, ensuring there's always a cosmopolitan feel to the intrigue. Intrigue that ticks away nicely because nothing you sense is as it seems. Moody atmosphere is unbound via Edeson's (also The Maltese Falcon) photography, plenty of low lights and shadows ensure all the mystery machinations are given added impetus. Back on release some critics bemoaned the lack of action and of "A" list stars, which now looks very unfair criticism. Certainly Greenstreet and Lorre to their fans have never been seen as lesser lights, their body of work holding up as joyous celluloid art. While the lack of action is irrelevant, this is about story telling and of characterisations, of mystery unravels, all of which leads to a super finale that rewards those who invested their time. 8/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Sydney Greenstreet
Mr. Peters
Zachary Scott
Dimitrios Makropoulos
Faye Emerson
Irana Preveza
Peter Lorre
Cornelius Leyden
Victor Francen
Wladislaw Grudek
Steven Geray
Karel Bulic
Florence Bates
Madame Elise Chavez
Eduardo Ciannelli
Marukakis
Kurt Katch
Colonel Haki
Marjorie Hoshelle
Anna Bulic
Georges Metaxa
Hans Werner
John Abbott
Mr. Pappas
Monte Blue
Abdul Dhris
David Hoffman
Konrad
Charles Andre
French Train Conductor (uncredited)
Vince Barnett
Card Game Kibitzer (uncredited)
Felix Basch
Vazoff (uncredited)
Ted Billings
Bar Patron (uncredited)
John Bleifer
Coach Driver (uncredited)
Jack Chefe
Casino Patron (uncredited)
Gino Corrado
Man at Grudek's Restaurant Table (uncredited)
Fred Essler
Mr. Bostoff (uncredited)
Sol Gorss
Man Shadowing Peters and Leyden (uncredited)
Stuart Holmes
Casino Patron (uncredited)
Frank Lackteen
Turkish Soldier (uncredited)
Carl M. Leviness
Casino Patron (uncredited)
Adolf E. Licho
Bulgarian Café Proprietor (uncredited)
Alphonse Martell
Roulette Croupier (uncredited)
Lal Chand Mehra
Turkish Servant (uncredited)
Louis Mercier
Bulgarian Policeman (uncredited)
Sol Murgi
Casino Patron (uncredited)
John Mylong
Druhar (uncredited)
Pedro Regas
Turkish Morgue Attendant (uncredited)
Georges Renavent
Fisherman (uncredited)
Leonid Snegoff
Stambulisky (uncredited)
Michael Visaroff
Bulgarian Policeman (uncredited)
Marek Windheim
Hotel Clerk in Paris (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff
Other
Jack L. Warner
Presenter
Jean Negulesco
Director
Jack L. Warner
Executive Producer
Eric Ambler
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Jun 23, 1944
New York City, New York & Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & Washington, D.C.
Jul 1, 1944
Sep 15, 1957
Chicago, Illinois
