Coffee, Business, and Messy Feelings: Fräulein Hoffmanns Erzählungen

Is this worth a watch?

If you have a soft spot for 1930s German cinema or just want something that feels like a crisp, professional stage play, you’ll probably get a kick out of Fräulein Hoffmanns Erzählungen. It’s definitely not for the person who needs constant action or modern pacing. If you hate movies where people just sit around in offices and talk about import/export deals while trying to hide their true feelings, stay away.

The whole thing feels oddly polite, doesn't it? Anita Liman is this powerhouse of a business woman, but the film keeps trying to box her into these domestic tropes that feel a bit heavy-handed today.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Fräulein Hoffmanns Erzählungen (1933) through its definitive frames.

Oddly specific observations

• There’s a scene in an office where the desks are just a little too clean. Nobody actually works like that.
• Max Schreck shows up, and you can’t help but think about his other work. It’s a bit distracting when he’s just sitting there acting like a normal human businessman.
• The dialogue has this weirdly snappy rhythm that makes me think of The Tip Off, even though they aren't the same genre at all.

Benno is supposed to be this cold-blooded shark, but the second he starts getting mushy, the movie loses a bit of its bite. It’s like when you watch The Greater Glory and wonder why they bothered with the sentimental stuff when the real tension was clearly somewhere else.

I found myself staring at the background extras more than the leads for a solid ten minutes. They really didn't know what to do with their hands. It’s kind of funny if you look for it. ☕

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Fräulein Hoffmanns Erzählungen (1933) through its definitive frames.

The chemistry between the leads is fine, I guess. It’s pleasant. Maybe that’s the problem. Everything is so tidy that you want someone to just throw a coffee mug across the room or admit they hate each other. There's a lot of dancing around the point, which is fine for a while, but it gets a little tiring by the second act.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it worth the hour or so it asks of you? Sure. It’s like having a lukewarm cup of coffee; not exactly what you hoped for, but it gets the job done on a Tuesday afternoon.