Nov 22nd  
Lola Montes* 
(Fra/WG 1955) 
Gamma Films/Florida/Oska. 115m. Cinemascope                         

A 19th century courtesan has a succession of lovers, including the King of Bavaria which brings about his ultimate ruin, and she is resorted to telling her life story a New Orleans circus.
Overblown and magisterial looking epic romantic drama with its circus setting the most audacious and the most bizarre aspect about it. Sweeping in its scope but utterly empty emotionally, perhaps deliberately so. It's director's last great folly, the version here is a 2008 restoration, after the original was heavily altered following the premiere that offended many - although one struggles to see how any alterations would have changed the basic premise.

Written by: Max Ophuls, Franz Greiger, Annette Wadement, based on the novel by Cecil Saint-Laurent (Jacques Laurent).
Producer: Albert Caraco.
Director: Max Ophuls.
Starring: Martine Carol, Peter Ustinov, Anton Walbrook, Ivan Desny, Oskar Werner, Will Quadflieg (as Franz Liszt), Lise Delamare, Carl Esmond.
Photography: Christian Matras.
Music: Georges Auric.