3 Penny Opera, The - The Criterion Collection
Criterion (1931)
Drama, Musical
In Collection
#217
0*
Seen ItYes
715515025720
IMDB   7.4
1 hr 45 mins France / German
DVD  Region 1   NR
Fritz Rasp Peachum
Lotte Lenya Jenny
Rudolf Forster Mackie Messer
Curd Jürgens Macheath
Hildegard Knef Jenny Diver
Gert Fröbe J.J. Peachum
Hilde Hildebrand Mrs. Celia Peachum
June Ritchie Polly Peachum
Lino Ventura Tiger Brown
Marlene Warrlich Lucy
Walter Giller Beggar Filch
Hans W. Hamacher Smith
Henning Schlüter Rev. Kimball
Milena Dravic Milena
Ivica Vidovic Vladimir Ilyich
Jagoda Kaloper Jagoda
Tuli Kupferberg US Soldier
Zoran Radmilovic Radmilovic
Jackie Curtis Herself
Miodrag Andric Soldier
Zivka Matic Landlady
Dragoljub Ivkov
Nikola Milic
Carola Neher Polly
Reinhold Schunzel Tiger-Brown
Valeska Gert Mrs. Peachum
Hermann Thimig The Vicar
Ernst Busch The Street Singer
Vladimir Sokoloff Smith, the Jailer
Paul Kemp Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Gustav Püttjer Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Oskar Hocker Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Krafft-Raschig Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Herbert Grünbaum Filch
Sylvia Torf Whorehouse owner
Director
G.W. Pabst
Wolfgang Staudte
Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Producer Seymour Nebenzal
Kurt Ulrich
Heinz Willeg
Writer Bertolt Brecht
Wolfgang Staudte
Günther Weisenborn
John Gay
Béla Balázs
Cinematography Fritz Arno Wagner


The sly melodies of composer Kurt Weill and the daring of dramatist Bertolt Brecht come together onscreen under the direction of German auteur G.W. Pabst (Pandora's Box) in this classic adaptation of the Weimar-era theatrical sensation. Set in the impoverished back alleys of Victorian London, The Threepenny Opera follows underworld antihero Mackie Messer (a.k.a. Mack the Knife) as he tries to woo Polly Peachum and elude the authorities. With its palpable evocation of corruption and dread, set to Weill's irresistible score, The Threepenny Opera remains a benchmark of early sound cinema. It is presented here in both its celebrated German and rare French versions.
Edition Details
Distributor Criterion
Release Date 9/18/2007
Packaging Keep Case
Screen Ratio Standard 1.33:1 B&W
Subtitles English
Audio Tracks FRENCH: Dolby Digital Mono
GERMAN: Dolby Digital Mono
Layers Single Side, Dual Layer
No. of Disks/Tapes 2

Features
Disc 01 Audio commentary by scholars David Bathrick and Eric Rentschler
Archival introduction by Threepenny stars Fritz Rasp and Ernst Busch
New, exclusive documentary on Threepenny's controversial journey from stage to screen
New and improved English subtitle translation
L'opera de quat'sous, Pabst's French-language version of the film, starring Albert Prejean and Florelle
A multimedia presentation by film scholar Charles O'Brien on the differences between the English and French versions
Archival interview with Fritz Rasp
Galleries of production photos by Hans Casparius and production sketches by art director Andre Andrejew
PLUS: A new essay by film critic Tony Rayns