A pre-Depression slice of proletarian life from Weimar Germany, Harbour Drift is unusually interesting for its indifferent pessimism, rejecting even the minor rays of hope which permeate the other low-life ‘street films’ of the period. A sordid tale of poverty and greed set within a quayside milieu of crime and prostitution, the narrative centres on the quest for a sparkling pearl necklace stolen by a beggar under the gaze of a prostitute, who persuades her unemployed friend to steal it back, with tragic consequences. The story unfolds in flashback, without irony or a hint of redemption: life simply goes on. The film is remarkable for the innovative camerawork of Friedl Behn-Grund, which manipulates light and shadow to create a nightmarish atmosphere of fear and premonition.
Credits
Harbour Drift Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Paul Rehkopf
He was 57, 77 years old when he died
|
|
|
Sig Arno
He was 33, 79 years old when he died
|
as Der Hehler / The Receiver |
|
Lissy Arna
She was 25, 60 years old when she died
|
|
|
Friedrich Gnaß
He was 36, 65 years old when he died
|
|
|
Fritz Genschow
He was 24, 72 years old when he died
|
|
Harbour Drift Crew
| Name |
Department |
|
Jan Fethke as Writer. He was 25 (77) years old when He died
|
Writing |
|
Leo Mittler as Director. He was 35 (64) years old when He died
|
Directing |
|
Willy Döll as Writer. He was 24 (now 71) years old
|
Writing |
