Verboten! (1959)

Verboten!: Directed by Samuel Fuller. With James Best, Susan Cummings, Tom Pittman, Paul Dubov. A young American serviceman, stationed in Germany after the fall of the Third Reich, jeopardises his position with the Marshall Plan relief effort by breaking the non-fraternisatiom rule and falling in love with a young German woman. He uses his position to obtain food and luxuries for her that are in short supply, and all seems to be going well for the couple. What he doesn’t realise is that the Werewolves, the Nazi guerrilla movement, have plans in which he features heavily.

“Begins with the ominous opening of Beethovenu0026#39;s Fifth Symphony followed by bits of Wagner. The early parts and the middle are commendable. Fuller loses grip on the script towards the end with documentary footage of the Nuremberg trials inserted with lack of credibility. As in all Fuller films, the director uses a little known actress and gets her to perform with gusto as no other director could. Here it is Susan Cummings who does her job creditably. The concept of the family being built by the soldier is also there in the background. Early in the film, Fuller uses a stunning close-up of the eyes and eyebrows of actor James Best playing the wounded American soldier. As the film progresses, that kind of cinematography is never repeated. Wonder why.”