Lupu Pick is remembered by film history for just a few films: Scherben meaning wreckage (though many in Italy still insist on calling the film La rotaia – the railway – translating the vacuous title of the French version of this film unseen in Italy), on par with Sylvester, the other perfect kammerspiel. Neither film ignores the lessons of expressionism, and both have masterful scripts by Carl Mayer. About the rest, his lengthy work as both actor and director, and his other films in collaboration with Mayer, no word is ever mentioned. Much has actually been lost, but with a little digging through European archives, enough material exists to better get to know this author, whose interesting and unusual career was cut short by his sudden death at the age of just forty-three. Panzergewölbe, which also never made it to Italy during that era, is an extreme episode in the adventures of detective Stuart Webbs. In the teens, Pick was frequently director of films about the character, and even played well characterized supporting roles – he was indeed the first person to play the intrepid detective. The film is full of intrigue and plot twists, and the Aktion philosophy can be felt in every sequence. It would be a difficult task to summarize the plot: it’s much better to be charmed by the mystery and oneiric nature of this excellent example of a «Krimi-film».

Vittorio Martinelli