The Blue Angel

The Blue Angel is a 1959 American drama film in CinemaScope directed by Edward Dmytryk and starring Curd Jürgens, May Britt, and Theodore Bikel. The film is a remake of Josef von Sternberg's 1930 film The Blue Angel about cabaret singer Lola-Lola and the troubled, aged Professor Rath, who falls for her much to his own detriment. Both films were based on Heinrich Mann's 1905 novel Professor Unrat. Premise Professor Immanuel Rath (Curd Jurgens) is shocked to discover a number of his students have been frequenting a nightspot called the Blue Angel, where a scandalous entertainer named Lola (May Britt) performs. Rath attends the show one night to catch some of his boys in this den of wickedness, but he is soon drawn into Lola's sensual spell, and in time becomes involved in an obsessive romance with her that costs him his job, his savings, and his dignity. Cast Curd Jürgens as Professor Immanuel Rath (as Curt Jurgens) May Britt as Lola-Lola Theodore Bikel as Klepert John Banner as Principal Harter Fabrizio Mioni as Rolf Ludwig Stössel as Dr. Fritz Heine Background In 1955, 20th Century-Fox acquired the rights to remake the original film as a possible vehicle for Marilyn Monroe and Spencer Tracy, but both turned it down. Other actors reportedly considered for the film were Fredric March as Professor Rath and Lou Jacobi as Klepert.