
Varieté
Ewald André Dupont
1925

SYNOPSIS
Boss Huller, a former trapeze artist running a carnival sideshow, abandons his family to return to the circus with a beautiful young dancer named Berta-Marie. Their passion turns to jealousy when a suave acrobat joins the act, leading to a tragic love triangle high above the crowd. Famous for its 'unchained' camera movement and dizzying perspectives, E.A. Dupont’s film is a visual masterpiece of German Expressionism exploring desire, betrayal, and eventual ruin.
CRITIQUE
E.A. Dupont’s Varieté is a visual revolution, famous for liberating the camera from the tripod. Cinematographer Karl Freund’s 'unchained camera' swooped through trapeze acts, creating a subjective, dizzying experience never seen before. It transformed the lens into an active participant rather than a passive observer. Beyond its technical wizardry, it offers a gritty, psychological look at jealousy and desire. This film bridged the gap between Expressionism and Realism, directly influencing the fluid visual language of Hitchcock and the future of Film Noir.