September 12, 2010. Watched TV: Saw Angel (Ernst Lubitsch, 1937). ABSOLUTE MASTERPIECE. I'm a huge Lubitsch fan, obviously. Besides, Dietrich is my number one idol, before DB and M. I have seen all the movies she made between 1930 and 1978, repeatedly, and have been working on my Dietrich book for years. She is always gorgeous, and in this she is particularly gorgeous (although von Sternberg would always light her face better than Lubitsch). There are various clever narrative devices in Angel that make it extra special, what with windows and frames and metacinematic bits. The non-lazy viewer can work and derive extra enjoyment from the film. The lazy viewer can still have a good time.
