This classic adaptation of the Weimar-era theatrical sensation The Threepenny Opera is set in the impoverished back alleys of Victorian London and follows underworld antihero Mackie Messer (a.k.a. Mack the Knife) as he tries to woo Polly Peachum and elude the authorities. The sly melodies of composer Kurt Weill and the daring of dramatist Bertolt Brecht come together on-screen under the direction of German auteur G. W. Pabst (Pandora's Box) in this classic adaptation of the Weimar-era theatrical sensation. With its palpable evocation of corruption and dread, set to Weill's irresistible score, The Threepenny Opera remains a benchmark of early sound cinema.
This film is introduced by Charles Prince and The Arts Institute’s Anna Navas, film administrator and Dr Robert Taub, Director of Music.
Charles Prince is an acclaimed conductor and pianist currently living in the USA. As pianist, he is one of the guest artists in the Musica Viva concert performance of songs by Kurt Weill on 7 May 2022 that continues our Expressionism Festival.
This film is the first of three daily consecutive events in Expressionism (cont’d), running 5-7 May and comprising film, visual art, theatre, and music.
Director: G.W. Pabst, 1931
Cast: Lotte Lenya, Rudolf Forster, Carola Neher
Running time: 105 minutesLanguage: German, English subtitles
Date: Thursday 5 May 2022
Time: 19:00 – 20:45
Venue: Jill Craigie Cinema, Roland Levinsky Building, University of Plymouth
Special festival ticket price: standard £3 / concessions £2 / free for all students