Robert Siodmak
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Robert Siodmak (; 8 August 1900 – 10 March 1973) was a
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...
film director who also worked in the United States. He is best remembered as a thriller specialist and for a series of films noirs he made in the 1940s, such as ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
'' (1946).


Early life

Siodmak was born in
Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...
, Germany, the son of Rosa Philippine (née Blum) and Ignatz Siodmak and the brother of
Curt Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...
, Werner and Roland. His parents were both from Jewish families in
Leipzig Leipzig ( , ; Upper Saxon: ) is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig's population of 605,407 inhabitants (1.1 million in the larger urban zone) as of 2021 places the city as Germany's eighth most populous, as wel ...
(the myth of his American birth in
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was necessary for him to obtain a visa in
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
during World War II). He worked as a stage director and a banker before becoming editor and scenarist for
Curtis Bernhardt Curtis Bernhardt (15 April 1899 – 22 February 1981) was a Jewish film director born in Worms, Germany, under the name Kurt Bernhardt. He trained as an actor in Germany, and performed on the stage, before starting as a film director in 1924, wi ...
in 1925 (Bernhardt directed a film of Siodmak's story ''
Conflict Conflict may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Conflict'' (1921 film), an American silent film directed by Stuart Paton * ''Conflict'' (1936 film), an American boxing film starring John Wayne * ''Conflict'' (1937 film) ...
'' in 1945). At twenty-six he was hired by his cousin, producer
Seymour Nebenzal Seymour Nebenzal (22 July 1899 – 23 September 1961) was an American-born Jewish-German film producer. He produced 46 films between 1927 and 1961. Biography Germany He got into film production through his father Heinrich Nebenzahl (1870– ...
, to assemble original silent movies from stock footage of old films. Siodmak worked at this for two years before he persuaded Nebenzal to finance his first feature, the silent masterpiece, '' Menschen am Sonntag'' (''
People on Sunday ''People on Sunday'' (german: Menschen am Sonntag) is a 1930 German silent drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer from a screenplay by Robert and Curt Siodmak. The film follows a group of residents of Berlin on a summer's day d ...
'') in 1929. The script was co-written by
Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hol ...
and Siodmak's brother
Curt Siodmak Curt Siodmak (August 10, 1902 – September 2, 2000) was a German-American novelist and screenwriter. He is known for his work in the horror and science fiction film genres, with such films as '' The Wolf Man'' and '' Donovan's Brain'' (the l ...
, later the screenwriter of '' The Wolf Man'' (1941). It was the last German silent and also included such future Hollywood artists as
Fred Zinnemann Alfred ''Fred'' Zinnemann (April 29, 1907 – March 14, 1997) was an Austrian Empire-born American film director. He won four Academy Awards for directing and producing films in various genres, including thrillers, westerns, film noir and play ...
, Edgar G. Ulmer, and Eugen Schufftan. His next film—the first at UFA to use sound—was the 1930 comedy '' Abschied'' for writers
Emeric Pressburger Emeric Pressburger (born Imre József Pressburger; 5 December 19025 February 1988) was a Hungarian-British screenwriter, film director, and producer. He is best known for his series of film collaborations with Michael Powell, in a collaborat ...
and
Irma von Cube Irma von Cube (December 26, 1899, Hanover; July 25, 1977) was a German- American screenwriter. She began as an actress and a writer for films in Germany in the early 1930s, and continued when she arrived in the United States in 1938. Among he ...
, followed by '' Der Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht'', another comedy, yet quite different and unusual, a likely product of Billy Wilder's imagination. But in his next film, the crime thriller '' Stürme der Leidenschaft'', with
Emil Jannings Emil Jannings (born Theodor Friedrich Emil Janenz, 23 July 1884 – 2 January 1950) was a Swiss born German actor, popular in the 1920s in Hollywood. He was the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in '' The La ...
and Anna Sten, Siodmak found a style that would become his own. With the rise of
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
and following an attack in the press by Hitler's minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels in 1933 after viewing '' Brennendes Geheimnis'' (''The Burning Secret''), Siodmak left Germany for Paris. His creativity flourished, as he worked for the next six years in a variety of film genres, from comedy ('' Le sexe faible'' and '' La Vie Parisienne'' ) to musical (''
La crise est finie ''The Crisis is Over'' (French: ''La crise est finie'') is a 1934 French musical comedy film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Albert Préjean, Danielle Darrieux and Marcel Carpentier. Many of those who worked on the film were exiles from ...
'', with
Danielle Darrieux Danielle Yvonne Marie Antoinette Darrieux (; 1 May 1917 – 17 October 2017) was a French actress of stage, television and film, as well as a singer and dancer. Beginning in 1931, she appeared in more than 110 films. She was one of France's g ...
) to drama ('' Mister Flow'', '' Cargaison blanche'', ''
Mollenard ''Mollenard'' is a 1938 French drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Harry Baur, Gabrielle Dorziat and Pierre Renoir. It was also known by the alternative titles of ''Hatred'' and ''Capitaine Corsaire''. The film's sets were designed ...
''—compare Gabrielle Dorziat's shrewish wife with that of Rosalind Ivan in '' The Suspect''—and ''
Pièges ''Personal Column'' (french: Pièges) is a 1939 French thriller film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Maurice Chevalier, Pierre Renoir, Marie Déa and Erich von Stroheim. It was shot at the Joinville Studios in Paris. The film's sets wer ...
'', with Maurice Chevalier and Erich von Stroheim). While in France, he was well on his way to becoming successor to Rene Clair, until Hitler again forced him out. Siodmak arrived in
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in 1939, where he made 23 movies, many of them widely popular thrillers and crime melodramas, which critics today regard as classics of film noir.


Hollywood career

Beginning in 1941, he first turned out several B-films and programmers for various studios before he gained a seven-year contract with
Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
in 1943. The best of those early films are the thriller '' Fly by Night'' in 1942, with Richard Carlson and
Nancy Kelly Nancy Kelly (March 25, 1921 – January 2, 1995) was an American actress in film, theater and television. A child actress and model, she was a repertory cast member of CBS Radio's ''The March of Time'' and appeared in several films in the late 1 ...
, and in 1943 ''Someone to Remember'', with Mable Paige in a signature role. As house director, his services were often used to salvage troublesome productions at the studio. On Mark Hellinger's production ''Swell Guy'' (1946), for instance, Siodmak was brought in to replace Frank Tuttle only six days after completing work on ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
''. Siodmak worked steadily while under contract, overshadowed by high-profile directors, like
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
, with whom he had been often compared by the press. At Universal, Siodmak made yet another B-film, '' Son of Dracula'' (1943), the third in the studio's series of Dracula movies (based on his brother
Curt Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...
's original story). His second feature was the
Maria Montez María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Montez, was a Dominican motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume ...
/ Jon Hall vehicle, ''
Cobra Woman ''Cobra Woman'' is a 1944 American South Seas adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Robert Siodmak that stars Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Sabu. Shot in Technicolor, this film is typical of Montez's career at Universal, and, altho ...
'' (1944), made in
Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...
. His first all-out noir was ''
Phantom Lady Phantom Lady is a fictional superheroine, one of the first such characters to debut in the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books. Originally published by Quality Comics, the character was subsequently published by a series of now-defunct comic book com ...
'' (1944), for staff producer Joan Harrison, Universal's first female executive and
Alfred Hitchcock Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...
's former secretary and script assistant. It showcased Siodmak's skill with camera and editing to dazzling effect, but no more so than in the iconic jam-session sequence with
Elisha Cook Jr. Elisha Vanslyck Cook Jr. (December 26, 1903 – May 18, 1995) was an American character actor famed for his work in films noir. According to Bill Georgaris of TSPDT: They Shoot Pictures, Don't They, Cook appeared in a total of 21 film ...
in throes on the drums. Following the critical success of ''Phantom Lady'', Siodmak directed ''
Christmas Holiday ''Christmas Holiday'' is a 1944 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly. Based on the 1939 novel of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham, the film is about a woman who marries a South ...
'' (1944) with
Deanna Durbin Edna Mae Durbin (December 4, 1921 – April 17, 2013), known professionally as Deanna Durbin, was a Canadian-born actress and singer, who moved to the USA with her family in infancy. She appeared in musical films in the 1930s and 1940s. With t ...
and Gene Kelly ( Hans J. Salter received an Oscar nomination for best music). Beginning with this film, his work in Hollywood attained the stylistic and thematic characteristics that are evident in his later noirs. ''Christmas Holiday'', adapted from a
W. Somerset Maugham William Somerset Maugham ( ; 25 January 1874 – 16 December 1965) was an English writer, known for his plays, novels and short stories. Born in Paris, where he spent his first ten years, Maugham was schooled in England and went to a German un ...
novel by Herman J. Mankiewicz, was Durbin's most successful feature. Siodmak's use of black-and-white cinematography and urban landscapes, together with his light-and-shadow designs, followed the basic structure of classic noir films. In fact, he had a number of collaborations with cinematographers, such as
Nicholas Musuraca Nicholas Musuraca, A.S.C. (October 25, 1892 – September 3, 1975) was a motion-picture cinematographer best remembered for his work at RKO Pictures in the 1940s, including many of Val Lewton's series of B-picture horror films. Biography B ...
, Elwood Bredell, and
Franz Planer Franz F. Planer, A.S.C. (29 March 1894 as František Plánička – 10 January 1963) was an Austrian-born cinematographer born in Karlsbad, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic). Biography The Planer family was very influential, and owned large ...
, in which he achieved the Expressionist look he had cultivated in his early years at UFA. During Siodmak's tenure, Universal made the most of the noir style in '' The Suspect'', ''
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry ''The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry'' is a 1945 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring George Sanders as an aging bachelor who looks after his two sisters, one of whom tries to sabotage his romance with his co-worker ...
'' and '' The Dark Mirror'', but the capstone was ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
''. Released in 1946, it was
Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...
's film debut and
Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...
's first dramatic, featured role. A critical and financial success, it earned Siodmak his only Oscar nomination for direction in Hollywood. His German production ''
Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam ''The Devil Strikes at Night'' (german: Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam) is a 1957 West German film directed by Robert Siodmak. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and is based on the true story of Bruno Lüdke. ...
'', based on the false story of Bruno Lüdke, who was falsely accused of being a serial killer by the Nazis, was nominated for
Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
in 1957. While still under contract at Universal, Siodmak worked on loan out to
RKO RKO Radio Pictures Inc., commonly known as RKO Pictures or simply RKO, was an American film production and distribution company, one of the "Big Five" film studios of Hollywood's Golden Age. The business was formed after the Keith-Albee-Orpheu ...
for producer
Dore Schary Isadore "Dore" Schary (August 31, 1905 – July 7, 1980) was an American playwright, director, and producer for the stage and a prolific screenwriter and producer of motion pictures. He directed just one feature film, '' Act One'', the film bio ...
in the thriller '' The Spiral Staircase'', a masterly blending of suspense and horror, which Siodmak said he edited as he pleased, due to a strike in Hollywood in 1945. The film earned
Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regarde ...
an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. For
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
and producer
Darryl F. Zanuck Darryl Francis Zanuck (September 5, 1902December 22, 1979) was an American film producer and studio executive; he earlier contributed stories for films starting in the silent era. He played a major part in the Hollywood studio system as one of ...
, he directed, partly on location in New York City, the crime noir ''Cry of the City'' in 1948, and in 1949 for
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
he tackled its lux production ''
The Great Sinner ''The Great Sinner'' is a 1949 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak. Based on the 1866 short novel '' The Gambler'' written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the film stars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Frank Morgan, Ethel Barrymore, Wal ...
'', but the prolix script proved unmanageable for Siodmak who relinquished direction to the dependable and bland
Mervyn LeRoy Mervyn LeRoy (; October 15, 1900 – September 13, 1987) was an American film director and producer. In his youth he played juvenile roles in vaudeville and silent film comedies. During the 1930s, LeRoy was one of the two great practitioners of ...
. On loan out to
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in 1949, he made for producer
Hal B. Wallis Harold Brent Wallis (born Aaron Blum Wolowicz; October 19, 1898 – October 5, 1986) was an American film producer. He is best known for producing '' Casablanca'' (1942), '' The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938), and ''True Grit'' (1969), along ...
his penultimate American noir ''
The File on Thelma Jordon ''The File on Thelma Jordon'' is a 1950 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Wendell Corey. The screenplay by Ketti Frings, based on an unpublished short story by Marty Holland, concerns a wo ...
'', with Barbara Stanwyck at her most fatal—and sympathetic. Siodmak saw in this film a thematic link with ''The Suspect'' and ''The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry'', with the failed lovers of these films and significantly their tragic conclusions (ten years later he addressed the same theme in ''The Rough and the Smooth''). Perhaps his finest American noir—although not his last—is '' Criss Cross'' that was to reunite him not only with Lancaster, but also ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
'' producer
Mark Hellinger Mark John Hellinger (March 21, 1903 – December 21, 1947) was an American journalist, theatre columnist and film producer. Biography Early life Hellinger was born into the Orthodox Jewish family of Mildred "Millie" (nee Fitch) and Pol Helli ...
, who died suddenly before production began in 1949. Working without the hands-on control of Hellinger again, Siodmak was able to make this film his own as he could not the earlier film. Yvonne De Carlo's working-class femme fatal (a high mark in her career) completes the deadly triangle, along with Lancaster and
Dan Duryea Dan Duryea ( , January 23, 1907 – June 7, 1968) was an American actor in film, stage, and television. Known for portraying a vast range of character roles as a villain, he nonetheless had a long career in a wide variety of leading and second ...
: the archetype of doomed attraction central to all Siodmak's noirs, but the one he could fully express to its nihilistic conclusion. Siodmak immersed himself in the creative process and genuinely loved working with actors, acquiring a reputation as an actor's director for his work with many future stars, including Burt Lancaster,
Ernest Borgnine Ernest Borgnine (; born Ermes Effron Borgnino; January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012) was an American actor whose career spanned over six decades. He was noted for his gruff but relaxed voice and gap-toothed Cheshire Cat grin. A popular perfor ...
,
Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...
,
Debra Paget Debra Paget (born Debralee Griffin; August 19, 1933) is an American actress and entertainer. She is perhaps best known for her performances in Cecil B. DeMille's epic ''The Ten Commandments'' (1956) and in Elvis Presley's film debut, '' Love Me ...
,
Maria Schell Maria Margarethe Anna Schell (15 January 1926 – 26 April 2005) was an Austrian-Swiss actress. She was one of the leading stars of German cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1954, she was awarded the Cannes Best Actress Award for her performance ...
,
Mario Adorf Mario Adorf (; born 8 September 1930) is a German actor, considered to be one of the great veteran character actors of European cinema. Since 1954, he has played both leading and supporting roles in over 200 film and television productions, am ...
, Ava Gardner,
Olivia de Havilland Dame Olivia Mary de Havilland (; July 1, 1916July 26, 2020) was a British-American actress. The major works of her cinematic career spanned from 1935 to 1988. She appeared in 49 feature films and was one of the leading actresses of her time. ...
,
Dorothy McGuire Dorothy Hackett McGuire (June 14, 1916 – September 13, 2001) was an American actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947) and won the National Board of Review Award for Best Actre ...
, Yvonne de Carlo, Barbara Stanwyck,
Geraldine Fitzgerald Geraldine Mary Fitzgerald (November 24, 1913 – July 17, 2005) was an Irish actress and a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame. In 2020, she was listed at number 30 on ''The Irish Times'' list of Ireland's greatest film actors. Early li ...
, and
Ella Raines Ella Wallace Raines (August 6, 1920 – May 30, 1988) was an American film and television actress. Early life Raines was born Ella Wallace Raines on August 6, 1920, in Fall City, Washington. She studied drama at the University of Washingto ...
. He directed Charles Laughton (a close friend) and
George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...
, and got from both perhaps the unlikeliest, most natural and under-acted performances of their careers. From
Lon Chaney, Jr. Creighton Tull Chaney (February10, 1906 – July12, 1973), known by his stage name Lon Chaney Jr., was an American actor known for playing Larry Talbot in the film '' The Wolf Man'' (1941) and its various crossovers, Count Alucard (Dra ...
he drew an uncharacteristically controlled and coldly menacing performance for '' Son of Dracula''. He managed with Lancaster to capture a youthful vulnerability in ''The Killers'', despite the actor's age (he was 33). He was able to get a believable, dramatic performance from Gene Kelly. He also helped raise Ava Gardner's public profile.


Return to Europe

Before leaving for Europe in 1952, following the problematic production ''The Crimson Pirate'' for
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(distributed through
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) and producer
Harold Hecht Harold Adolphe Hecht (June 1, 1907 – May 26, 1985) was an American film producer, dance director and talent agent. He was also, though less noted for, a literary agent, a theatrical producer, a theatre director and a Broadway actor. He was a m ...
, his third and last film with Burt Lancaster (Siodmak dubbed the chaotic experience "The Hecht Follies"), Siodmak had directed some of the era's best films noirs (twelve in all), more than any other director who worked in that style. However, his identification with film noir, generally unpopular with American audiences, may have been more of a curse than a blessing. He often expressed his desire to make pictures "of a different type and background" than the ones he had been making for ten years. Nevertheless, he ended his Universal contract with one last noir, the disappointing ''Deported'' (1951) which he filmed partly abroad (Siodmak was among the first refugee directors to return to Europe after making American films). The story is loosely based on the deportation of gangster
Charles "Lucky" Luciano Charles "Lucky" Luciano (, ; born Salvatore Lucania ; November 24, 1897 – January 26, 1962) was an Italian-born gangster who operated mainly in the United States. Luciano started his criminal career in the Five Points gang and was instrument ...
. Siodmak had hoped
Loretta Young Loretta Young (born Gretchen Young; January 6, 1913 – August 12, 2000) was an American actress. Starting as a child, she had a long and varied career in film from 1917 to 1953. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the fil ...
would star, but settled for the Swedish actress
Märta Torén Märta Torén (21 May 1925 – 19 February 1957) was a Swedish stage and film actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Torén's father was a Swedish military officer, and for three years, during World War II, she was a secretary in the Swedish war offic ...
. Those "different type" of films he had made—''The Great Sinner'' (1949) for
MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded on April 17, 1924 a ...
, '' Time Out of Mind'' (1947) for Universal (which Siodmak also produced), ''The Whistle at Eaton Falls'' (1951) for
Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...
(Ernest Borgnine's debut and
Dorothy Gish Dorothy Elizabeth Gish (March 11, 1898June 4, 1968) was an American actress of the screen and stage, as well as a director and writer. Dorothy and her older sister Lillian Gish were major movie stars of the silent era. Dorothy also had great s ...
's return to the screen)—all proved ill-suited to his noir sensibilities (although in 1952 ''The Crimson Pirate'', despite the difficult production, was a surprising and pleasing departure—in fact, Lancaster believed it was inspiration for the tongue-in-cheek style of the
James Bond The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
films). The five months he collaborated with
Budd Schulberg Budd Schulberg (born Seymour Wilson Schulberg, March 27, 1914 – August 5, 2009) was an American screenwriter, television producer, novelist and sports writer. He was known for his novels '' What Makes Sammy Run?'' and ''The Harder They Fall;'' ...
on a screenplay tentatively titled ''A Stone in the River Hudson'', an early version of '' On the Waterfront'', was also a major disappointment for Siodmak. In 1954 he sued producer
Sam Spiegel Samuel P. Spiegel (November 11, 1901December 31, 1985) was an American independent film producer born in the Galician area of Austria-Hungary. Financially responsible for some of the most critically acclaimed motion pictures of the 20th centur ...
for copyright infringement. Siodmak was awarded $100,000, but no screen credit. His contribution to the original screenplay has never been acknowledged. Siodmak's return to Europe in 1954 with a Grand Prize nomination at the
Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Festival (; french: link=no, Festival de Cannes), until 2003 called the International Film Festival (') and known in English as the Cannes Film Festival, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films o ...
for his remake of
Jacques Feyder Jacques Feyder (; 21 July 1885 – 24 May 1948) was a Belgian actor, screenwriter and film director who worked principally in France, but also in the US, Britain and Germany. He was a director of silent films during the 1920s, and in the 1930 ...
's '' Le grand jeu'' was a misstep, despite its stars,
Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist, and politician. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, a period in which she was an international sex symbol. As o ...
(two of them) and
Arletty Léonie Marie Julie Bathiat (15 May 1898 – 23 July 1992), known professionally as Arletty, was a French actress, singer, and fashion model. As an actress she is particularly known for classics directed by Marcel Carné, including '' Hotel du N ...
in the role originated by Françoise Rosay, Feyder's wife. In 1955, Siodmak returned to the
Federal Republic of Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated between ...
to make ''
Die Ratten ' (''The Rats'') is a 1955 West German drama film directed by Robert Siodmak. It is an adaptation of the 1911 play '' The Rats'' by Gerhart Hauptmann, but transferred the story to the early 1950s, shortly after the Second World War. It tells the ...
'', with
Maria Schell Maria Margarethe Anna Schell (15 January 1926 – 26 April 2005) was an Austrian-Swiss actress. She was one of the leading stars of German cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1954, she was awarded the Cannes Best Actress Award for her performance ...
and Curd Jurgens, winning the
Golden Berlin Bear The Golden Bear (german: Goldener Bär) is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival. The bear is the heraldic animal of Berlin, featured on both the coat of arms and flag of Berlin. History The win ...
at the 1955 Berlin Film Festival. It was the first in a series of films critical of his homeland, during and after Hitler, which included ''
Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam ''The Devil Strikes at Night'' (german: Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam) is a 1957 West German film directed by Robert Siodmak. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and is based on the true story of Bruno Lüdke. ...
'', both thriller and social artifact of Germany under Nazi rule, shot in documentary style reminiscent of ''Menschen am Sonntag'' and ''Whistle at Eaton Falls'', and in 1960, '' Mein Schulfreund'', an absurdist comedy, dark and strange, with
Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...
as a postal worker attempting to reunite with childhood friend
Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...
. In April 1958, Siodmak was made an executive in Kirk Douglas' film production company
Bryna Productions Bryna Productions (later renamed The Bryna Company) is an American independent film and television production company established by actor Kirk Douglas in 1949. The company also produced a handful of films through its subsidiaries, Michael Produ ...
, as European Representative. Between these films, and '' Mein Vater, der Schauspieler'' in 1956, with
O. W. Fischer Otto Wilhelm Fischer (german: O. W. Fischer, ; 1 April 1915 – 29 January 2004) was an Austrians, Austrian film and theatre actor, a leading man of Cinema of Germany, West German cinema during the ''Wirtschaftswunder'' era of the 1950s and 19 ...
(the West German
Rock Hudson Rock Hudson (born Roy Harold Scherer Jr.; November 17, 1925 – October 2, 1985) was an American actor. One of the most popular movie stars of his time, he had a screen career spanning more than three decades. A prominent heartthrob in the Golde ...
), he took a detour into
Douglas Sirk Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; 26 April 1897 – 14 January 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas of the 1950s. Sirk started his career in Germany as a stage and screen director, but he left for ...
territory with the sordid melodrama, ''
Dorothea Angermann ''Dorothea Angermann'' is a 1959 West German drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Ruth Leuwerik, Bert Sotlar and Alfred Schieske.Alpi p.357 It was adapted from the play by Gerhart Hauptmann. The film's sets were designed by the a ...
'' in 1959, featuring Germany's star
Ruth Leuwerik Ruth Leuwerik (; 23 April 1924 – 12 January 2016) was a German film actress, one of the most popular stars of German film during the 1950s. She appeared in 34 films between 1950 and 1977. Leuwerik is probably best known for her portrayal of Mar ...
. Later the same year he left Germany for Great Britain to film ''
The Rough and the Smooth ''The Rough and the Smooth'' (alternative title: ''Portrait of a Sinner'') is a 1959 British drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Nadja Tiller, Tony Britton, William Bendix and Natasha Parry. The screenplay concerns an archaeologi ...
'', with Nadja Tiller and
Tony Britton Anthony Edward Lowry Britton (9 June 1924 – 22 December 2019) was an English actor. He appeared in a variety of films (including ''The Day of the Jackal'') and television sitcoms (including '' Don't Wait Up'' and '' Robin's Nest'' He is the f ...
, yet another noir, but much meaner and gloomier than anything he had made in America (compare its downbeat ending with that of ''The File on Thelma Jordan''). He followed with ''
Katia Katia is a feminine given name. It is a variant of Katya. Notable people with this name Actresses and models * Katia Dandoulaki, Greek actress *Katia Margaritoglou, Greek fashion model and beauty contestant *Katia Winter (born 1983), Swedis ...
'' also in 1959, a tale of Czarist Russia, with twenty-one-year-old
Romy Schneider Romy Schneider (; born Rosemarie Magdalena Albach; 23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982) was a German-French actress. She began her career in the German genre in the early 1950s when she was 15. From 1955 to 1957, she played the central chara ...
, mistakenly titled in America ''Magnificent Sinner'', recalling—unfavorably—Siodmak's other costume melodrama. In 1961, '' L'affaire Nina B'', with
Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur, the latter a cousin of Albert Brasseur; his grandfather, Jules B ...
and Nadja Tiller (again), returned Siodmak to familiar ground in a slick, black-and-white thriller about a pay-for-hire Nazi hunter, which could be argued was the start of the many spy themed films so popular in the 1960s. In 1962, the entertaining ''
Escape from East Berlin ''Escape from East Berlin'' is a 1962 American-West German thriller film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Don Murray, Christine Kaufmann and Werner Klemperer. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed ...
'', with Don Murray and Christine Kaufman, had all the characteristic style of a Siodmak thriller, but was one that he later dismissed as something he had made for "little kids in America." His work in Germany returned to programmers like those that had begun his career in Hollywood 23 years earlier. From 1964 to 1965, he made a series of films with former Tarzan
Lex Barker Alexander Crichlow Barker Jr. (May 8, 1919 – May 11, 1973), known as Lex Barker, was an American actor. He was known for playing Tarzan for RKO Pictures between 1949 and 1953, and portraying leading characters from Karl May's novels, notably a ...
: '' The Shoot'', ''
The Treasure of the Aztecs ''The Treasure of the Aztecs'' (German: ''Der Schatz der Azteken'') is a 1965 western adventure film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lex Barker, Gérard Barray and Michèle Girardon. It was made as a co-production between France, Italy ...
'', and ''
The Pyramid of the Sun God ''The Pyramid of the Sun God'' (German: ''Die Pyramide des Sonnengottes'' is a 1965 West German and Italian western film adventure directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lex Barker, Gérard Barray and Michèle Girardon. It is based on a book by ...
'', all taken from the western, adventure novels of
Karl May Karl Friedrich May ( , ; 25 February 1842 – 30 March 1912) was a German author. He is best known for his 19th century novels of fictitious travels and adventures, set in the American Old West with Winnetou and Old Shatterhand as main pro ...
.


Later career

Siodmak's return to Hollywood filmmaking in 1967 with the wide-screen western ''
Custer of the West ''Custer of the West'' is a 1967 American Western film directed by Robert Siodmak that presents a highly fictionalised version of the life and death of George Armstrong Custer, starring Robert Shaw as Custer, Robert Ryan, Ty Hardin, Jeffrey Hu ...
'' was another disappointment, receiving mostly negative reviews from critics and failing to generate box-office appeal. Siodmak ended his career with a six-hour, two-part toga and chariot epic, ''
Kampf um Rom ''Kampf um Rom'' (English language title: ''The Last Roman'') is a West German-Italian historical drama film starring Laurence Harvey, Orson Welles, Sylva Koscina and Honor Blackman. It was produced by Artur Brauner and was the last film to be ...
'' (1968), a more campy work (perhaps intentionally) than ''Cobra Woman'' had been. There was a brief and profitable foray into television in Great Britain with the series '' O.S.S.'' (1957–58). Siodmak was last seen publicly in an interview for Swiss television at his home in
Ascona 300px, Ascona Ascona ( lmo, label= Ticinese, Scona ) is a municipality in the district of Locarno in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It is located on the shore of Lake Maggiore. The town is a popular tourist destination and holds the yea ...
in 1971. He died alone in 1973 in
Locarno , neighboring_municipalities= Ascona, Avegno, Cadenazzo, Cugnasco, Gerra (Verzasca), Gambarogno, Gordola, Lavertezzo, Losone, Minusio, Muralto, Orselina, Tegna, Tenero-Contra , twintowns =* Gagra, Georgia * Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic ...
of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
, seven weeks after his wife's death. The
British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
held a retrospective of his career in April and May 2015.


Filmography

* ''
People on Sunday ''People on Sunday'' (german: Menschen am Sonntag) is a 1930 German silent drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and Edgar G. Ulmer from a screenplay by Robert and Curt Siodmak. The film follows a group of residents of Berlin on a summer's day d ...
'' (1930) * ' (1930, short) * '' Farewell'' (1930) * ''
The Man in Search of His Murderer ''The Man in Search of His Murderer'' (german: Der Mann, der seinen Mörder sucht) is a 1931 German comedy film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Heinz Rühmann, Lien Deyers and Hans Leibelt.Hardt p. 239 The film is partially lost; of the ...
'' (1931) * '' Inquest'' (German-language, 1931) ** '' About an Inquest'' (French-language, 1931) * '' Storms of Passion'' (German-language, 1932) ** ''Tumultes'' (French-language, 1932) * ''
Quick Quick, as an adjective, refers to something moving with high speed. Quick may also refer to: In business * Quick (restaurant), a Belgian fast-food restaurant chain * Quick (sportswear), a Dutch manufacturer of sportswear * Quick (automobile) ...
'' (German-language, 1932) ** ''Quick'' (French-language, 1932) * '' The Burning Secret'' (1933) * ''
The Weaker Sex ''The Weaker Sex'' is a 1948 British drama film directed by Roy Ward Baker and starring Ursula Jeans, Cecil Parker and Joan Hopkins. It was one of the most popular films at the British box office in 1948. The film's subject was what ''The Ne ...
'' (1933) * ''
The Crisis is Over ''The Crisis is Over'' (French: ''La crise est finie'') is a 1934 French musical comedy film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Albert Préjean, Danielle Darrieux and Marcel Carpentier. Many of those who worked on the film were exiles from ...
'' (1934) * '' La Vie parisienne'' (French-language, 1936) ** '' Parisian Life'' (English-language, 1936) * ' (co-director:
Yves Mirande Yves Mirande (Bagneux (Maine-et-Loire), May 8, 1876 – Paris, March 17, 1957) was a French screenwriter, director, actor, and producer. Career Yves Mirande began his acting career in the theater, transitioning to movies in the silent era. F ...
, 1936) * ''
Compliments of Mister Flow ''Compliments of Mister Flow'' or ''Mister Flow'' is a 1936 French mystery film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Fernand Gravey, Edwige Feuillère and Louis Jouvet.Greco p.190 It was based on the 1927 novel '' Mister Flow'' by Gaston Le ...
'' (1936) * ''
White Cargo ''White Cargo'' is a 1942 film drama starring Hedy Lamarr and Walter Pidgeon, and directed by Richard Thorpe. Released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, it is based on the 1923 London and Broadway hit play by Leon Gordon, which was in turn adapted from ...
'' (1937) * ''
Mollenard ''Mollenard'' is a 1938 French drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Harry Baur, Gabrielle Dorziat and Pierre Renoir. It was also known by the alternative titles of ''Hatred'' and ''Capitaine Corsaire''. The film's sets were designed ...
'' (1938) * ''
Ultimatum An ultimatum (; ) is a demand whose fulfillment is requested in a specified period of time and which is backed up by a threat to be followed through in case of noncompliance (open loop). An ultimatum is generally the final demand in a series o ...
'' (1938, co-directed with
Robert Wiene Robert Wiene (; 27 April 1873 – 17 July 1938) was a film director of the silent era of German cinema. He is particularly known for directing the German silent film ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' and a succession of other German Expressionism, ...
, uncredited) * '' Personal Column'' (1939) * '' West Point Widow'' (1941) * '' Fly-by-Night'' (1942) * '' My Heart Belongs to Daddy'' (1942) * ''
The Night Before the Divorce ''The Night Before the Divorce'' is a 1942 American comedy film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lynn Bari, Mary Beth Hughes and Joseph Allen, adapted from the 1937 play of the same name by Gina Kaus and Ladislas Fodor.Alpi p.110 Main c ...
'' (1942) * ''
Someone to Remember ''Someone to Remember'' is a 1943 American drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and written by Frances Hyland. The film stars Mabel Paige, Harry Shannon, John Craven, Dorothy Morris, Charles Dingle and David Bacon. The film was released on Aug ...
'' (1943) * '' Son of Dracula'' (1943) * ''
Phantom Lady Phantom Lady is a fictional superheroine, one of the first such characters to debut in the 1940s Golden Age of Comic Books. Originally published by Quality Comics, the character was subsequently published by a series of now-defunct comic book com ...
'' (1944) * ''
Cobra Woman ''Cobra Woman'' is a 1944 American South Seas adventure film from Universal Pictures, directed by Robert Siodmak that stars Maria Montez, Jon Hall, and Sabu. Shot in Technicolor, this film is typical of Montez's career at Universal, and, altho ...
'' (1944) * ''
Christmas Holiday ''Christmas Holiday'' is a 1944 American film noir crime film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly. Based on the 1939 novel of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham, the film is about a woman who marries a South ...
'' (1944) * '' The Suspect'' (1944) * ''
The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry ''The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry'' is a 1945 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring George Sanders as an aging bachelor who looks after his two sisters, one of whom tries to sabotage his romance with his co-worker ...
'' (1945) * '' The Spiral Staircase'' (1945) * ''
The Killers The Killers are an American rock band formed in Las Vegas in 2001 by Brandon Flowers (lead vocals, keyboards, bass) and Dave Keuning (lead guitar, backing vocals). After going through a number of short-term bass players and drummers in t ...
'' (1946) * '' The Dark Mirror'' (1946) * '' Time Out of Mind'' (1947) * ''
Cry of the City ''Cry of the City'' is a 1948 American film noir starring Victor Mature, Richard Conte, and Shelley Winters. Directed by Robert Siodmak, it is based on the novel by Henry Edward Helseth, ''The Chair for Martin Rome''. The screenwriter Ben Hecht ...
'' (1948) * '' Criss Cross'' (1948) * ''
The Great Sinner ''The Great Sinner'' is a 1949 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak. Based on the 1866 short novel '' The Gambler'' written by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the film stars Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Frank Morgan, Ethel Barrymore, Wal ...
'' (1949) * ''
The File on Thelma Jordon ''The File on Thelma Jordon'' is a 1950 American film noir drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Barbara Stanwyck and Wendell Corey. The screenplay by Ketti Frings, based on an unpublished short story by Marty Holland, concerns a wo ...
'' (1949) * ''
Deported Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. The term ''expulsion'' is often used as a synonym for deportation, though expulsion is more often used in the context of international law, while deportation ...
'' (1950) * ''
The Whistle at Eaton Falls ''The Whistle at Eaton Falls'' (also known by the alternative title ''Richer Than the Earth'') is a 1951 American social drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Gish. Plot A newly promoted plant supervisor fin ...
'' (1951) * ''
The Crimson Pirate ''The Crimson Pirate'' is a 1952 British-American international co-production Technicolor tongue-in-cheek comedy-adventure film from Warner Bros. produced by Norman Deming and Harold Hecht, directed by Robert Siodmak, and starring Burt Lancaste ...
'' (1952) * ''
Flesh and the Woman ''Flesh and the Woman'' (french: Le Grand Jeu) is a 1954 French-Italian drama film directed by Robert Siodmak. It was entered into the 1954 Cannes Film Festival. It was released in the USA under the title ''Flesh and the Woman'', and in the UK a ...
'' (1954) * ''
Die Ratten ' (''The Rats'') is a 1955 West German drama film directed by Robert Siodmak. It is an adaptation of the 1911 play '' The Rats'' by Gerhart Hauptmann, but transferred the story to the early 1950s, shortly after the Second World War. It tells the ...
'' (1955) * '' My Father, the Actor'' (1956) * ''
The Devil Strikes at Night ''The Devil Strikes at Night'' (german: Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam) is a 1957 West German film directed by Robert Siodmak. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and is based on the true story of Bruno Lüdke. It ...
'' (1957) * '' O.S.S.'' (1957–1958, TV series, 4 episodes) * ''
Dorothea Angermann ''Dorothea Angermann'' is a 1959 West German drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Ruth Leuwerik, Bert Sotlar and Alfred Schieske.Alpi p.357 It was adapted from the play by Gerhart Hauptmann. The film's sets were designed by the a ...
'' (1959) * ''
The Rough and the Smooth ''The Rough and the Smooth'' (alternative title: ''Portrait of a Sinner'') is a 1959 British drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Nadja Tiller, Tony Britton, William Bendix and Natasha Parry. The screenplay concerns an archaeologi ...
'' (1959) * ''
Magnificent Sinner ''Magnificent Sinner'' (original French title: ''Katia'') is a 1959 French film by director Robert Siodmak about the romance between Tsar Alexander II of Russia and the then-schoolgirl Catherine Dolgorukov, who later became his mistress and final ...
'' (1959) * ''
My Schoolfriend ''My Schoolfriend'' (german: Mein Schulfreund) is a 1960 German comedy drama film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Heinz Rühmann, Loni von Friedl, and Hertha Feiler. It is based on the play ''Der Schulfreund'' by Johannes Mario Simmel. ...
'' (1960) * '' The Nina B. Affair'' (1961) * ''
Escape from East Berlin ''Escape from East Berlin'' is a 1962 American-West German thriller film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Don Murray, Christine Kaufmann and Werner Klemperer. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed ...
'' (1962) * '' The Shoot'' (1964) * ''
The Treasure of the Aztecs ''The Treasure of the Aztecs'' (German: ''Der Schatz der Azteken'') is a 1965 western adventure film directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lex Barker, Gérard Barray and Michèle Girardon. It was made as a co-production between France, Italy ...
'' (1965) * ''
The Pyramid of the Sun God ''The Pyramid of the Sun God'' (German: ''Die Pyramide des Sonnengottes'' is a 1965 West German and Italian western film adventure directed by Robert Siodmak and starring Lex Barker, Gérard Barray and Michèle Girardon. It is based on a book by ...
'' (1965) * ''
Custer of the West ''Custer of the West'' is a 1967 American Western film directed by Robert Siodmak that presents a highly fictionalised version of the life and death of George Armstrong Custer, starring Robert Shaw as Custer, Robert Ryan, Ty Hardin, Jeffrey Hu ...
'' (1967) * '' Kampf um Rom I'' (1968) * '' Kampf um Rom II'' (1969)


References


External links

*
Senses of Cinema: Great Directors Critical DatabaseRegilexikonLiterature on Robert Siodmak
*The File on Robert Siodmak in Hollywood: 1941–1951 {{DEFAULTSORT:Siodmak, Robert 1900 births 1973 deaths Bryna Productions people Film people from Dresden People from the Kingdom of Saxony Jewish emigrants from Nazi Germany to the United States American film directors German film directors Best Director German Film Award winners Directors of Golden Bear winners