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7.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Ich bei Tag und du bei Nacht remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a soft spot for 1930s European musicals and don't mind the occasional stagey, theatrical bit of acting, then absolutely. If you need your movies to have a fast pace or modern, grounded dialogue, you might find this one a bit dusty. It's purely for people who want to see where some of those classic rom-com tropes first started showing their teeth.
The whole premise of sharing a flat without ever seeing your roommate is just so conveniently absurd. You spend the first act wondering how they manage to avoid each other for so long without someone noticing a stray slipper or a different brand of soap. But hey, that’s the magic of movies from this era. You just go with it or you don't.
The music? Well, the Comedian Harmonists show up, and that’s basically the highlight of the whole thing. Whenever they pop on screen, the movie suddenly has this electricity that feels missing during the long stretches of dialogue. They’re smooth, they’re sharp, and they’re definitely the best part of the experience.
I did find myself getting a little distracted by the apartment set. It looks way too clean for two people who are clearly stressed out by their jobs. Who keeps a place that tidy while working night shifts at a nightclub? Not me, that’s for sure.
The chemistry between the leads is fine, but it feels very rehearsed. It reminds me a bit of the lightness you find in The Cabaret Girl, where everything feels just a little bit like a stage production. It's not a bad thing, just a specific flavor.
There's a scene near the middle where the note-writing reaches a fever pitch of pettiness. It’s actually pretty funny if you watch the way they slam doors or leave passive-aggressive scribbles. You can really feel the frustration radiating off the walls.
Some of the supporting characters are just there to fill space, honestly. A few of them have these strange, exaggerated reactions that made me wonder if they thought they were performing for the back row of a theater rather than a camera. A bit distracting, but maybe that's just how people acted in Berlin in '32.
It’s a light watch. Don't overthink the plot holes—there are plenty—and just enjoy the singing. It’s better than most of the heavy stuff coming out of the same era.
IMDb 8.7
1916
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