Der Polizeibericht meldet: A messy, fascinating look at a vanished city

Is it worth your time?

If you’re the type of person who loves digging through digital archives or watching early sound-era experiments, you’ll find Der Polizeibericht meldet surprisingly watchable. If you need a tight, punchy plot that makes sense from start to finish, skip it. You will absolutely hate how much it jumps around without explaining why any of these people matter.

There’s a weird, frantic energy to this movie. It feels like the director wanted to capture the entire heartbeat of Berlin in a blender and see what came out. Some of the character transitions are so jarring they almost feel like a mistake, but honestly? That’s part of the charm.

Tiny, weird details

The sound design is predictably scratchy, but there’s this one scene where a door slams and the echo feels like it lasts for a full three seconds longer than it should. It’s distracting, but it puts you right in the room with them. Also, the background extras in the street scenes? Half of them look like they are actively trying to avoid looking at the camera, and it’s hilarious.

It reminded me a bit of the frantic, multi-layered energy you find in Alice Adams, even though the tone here is miles apart. You’re constantly waiting for a main character to emerge, but the movie just refuses to give you one. It’s just a crowd.

The cast is just... everyone

Olga Tschechowa is, obviously, the person you keep looking for whenever she hits the screen. She carries a weight that the rest of the cast just doesn't have. Most of the other actors feel like they’re running around in circles just to give the police report some padding.

The movie doesn't really have a 'message.' It doesn't try to be a profound study of anything. It just reports, like the title says. It’s a bit like watching a live feed from a century ago, if the feed was constantly being interrupted by a guy with a megaphone.

• The lighting in the cafe scene is weirdly dark.
• The dialogue is mostly just people shouting facts at each other.
• It moves way faster than you’d expect for a 1930s film.

Don't expect a polished finish. There are loose ends everywhere. I’m not even sure if some of the plot lines get resolved, or if I just stopped caring halfway through. Either way, it’s a strange, dusty little relic. 🎞️