Razzia in St. Pauli (1932) is all about the fog and the feelings

If you are looking for a movie where stuff actually happens every five minutes, keep walking. This is for people who like to sit in the dark and feel the dampness of a 1930s harbor town.

You should watch this today if you like movies that feel like a cold beer in a smoky room. You will probably hate it if you need a clear hero or a fast-paced plot. ⚓

It is 1932. Hamburg is cold, wet, and full of people just trying to get by.

The story is almost an afterthought, honestly. It is about a sailor named Matros-Karl who just wants a good night out and a girl named Leo who works at a bar called 'The Ballhaus'.

There is also a guy named Barkas who is running from the cops. But really, the main character is the harbor itself.

The camera just... wanders. It looks at a rope. It looks at a puddle.

It reminds me a bit of the mood in Varhaník u sv. Víta, where the atmosphere does all the heavy lifting. But here, everything feels stickier. Dirtier.

I love the way Werner Hochbaum (the director) lets the sound do the work. You hear the foghorns and the clanking of the cranes in the distance.

It is not like those polished Hollywood films from the same time, like The Sunset Legion. This feels like someone actually went down to the docks with a camera and just waited for something to happen.

The scene in the bar goes on for a long time. There is a singer, played by Ernst Busch, who has this voice that sounds like it’s been soaked in gin.

He sings about the sea and the girls and the misery of it all. It’s heartbreaking for no reason.

The extras in the background aren't 'acting.' They just look tired. Like they’ve been working a twelve-hour shift and just want to go home.

One guy in the corner of the frame just stares at his drink for like three minutes. I couldn't stop looking at him.

The romance between the sailor and Leo is kind of sweet but also doomed. You can tell it’s not going to end with a wedding and a white fence.

It’s more like the tragedy you find in Mother's Cry, where life just sort of grinds you down. No one wins here.

Wait, I have to talk about the lighting. It is so shadowy.

The shadows on the walls of the narrow streets look like they are reaching out to grab the characters. It feels like a precursor to those film noir movies from the 40s.

Actually, it’s a bit like Lost in Darkness in that way. It uses the dark to tell you how the characters feel inside.

The 'Razzia' (the police raid) happens near the end. It’s chaotic.

The editing gets really fast all of a sudden. It’s almost jarring after how slow the first half was.

The cops come in with their whistles and their big coats. Suddenly, the bar isn't a sanctuary anymore. It’s just a trap.

The chase scene near the end feels a bit... clunky? Like they weren't sure how fast people actually run when they are scared.

There is a shot of a man trying to climb a fence that goes on for a few seconds too long. It becomes almost funny, even though it’s supposed to be tense.

I noticed the way Leo fixes her hair when the cops come in. It’s not 'movie' hair. It’s 'I’ve been working in a dive bar for ten hours' hair.

Small details like that make the movie feel so real.

If you’ve seen The Fog (the old one, not the horror movie), you know that kind of misty, uncertain vibe. This has that in spades.

The ending isn't really an ending. It just... stops.

The world keeps turning. The ships keep moving. The people in St. Pauli are still poor and still tired.

It’s a movie about... well, it’s about waiting. Waiting for a ship, waiting for a drink, waiting for the police to catch you.

I think I liked it more than I expected to. It’s messy and the print I saw was pretty grainy, but that just added to it.

Don't expect a masterpiece of pacing. Expect a mood.

Didja notice?

• The way the smoke fills the bar is almost hypnotic.
• Ernst Busch’s eyes always look like he’s about to cry or fight someone.
• The sound of the water against the boats is louder than the dialogue sometimes.
• The dog in the street looks more lost than the humans.

Anyway, if you can find a copy, give it a look. It’s a vibe before people started using that word for everything. 🍺