During the first decades of the last century, the city of London was well-known for its many objects of local colour; to say London was to say Big Ben and by extension, the Houses of the Parliament, Buckingham Palace, the Queen Mother, the gin-tonic, the river Thames, the fog and Jack the Ripper.<br /><br />But the city's most infamous murderer did his work in the past, so the British film director Herr Alfred Hitchcock updated the celebrated story and created "The Avenger", his own mysterious assassin at large in London.<br /><br />"The Lodger; A Story of the London Fog" (1927) is an excellent silent film and probably the best one made by Herr Hitchcock during his silent period. The film has all those ingredients and virtues one associates with Herr Alfred. This German count especially appreciates the masterful way the suspense is created, leading the audience down different tricky paths of mystery and intrigue. Besides the outstanding film narrative and excellent camera-work, there is also a good deal of wit: the Londoners, like any other European commoners, watch with fascination the story of this dangerous criminal who terrifies a whole population and defies the police. An added attraction are the appearances of many nice girls in negligees; what more is needed?<br /><br />There are a lot of scenes in "The Lodger" wherein Herr Hitchcock's talent for creating mysterious atmosphere is well demonstrated; the influence of German cinema-with which Herr Hitchcock was very familiar-is also apparent in his technique. Some admirers of Herr Hitchcock have told this Herr Von that themes common in later Hitchcock films can be noted in this one: blondes and fetishism, the sensual kiss between the lodger ( Herr Ivor Novello ) and Daisy ( Frau June ) and the scene in which the lodger wants to enter the bathroom where June is taking a bath. These will be developed and improved later by Herr Hitchcock during his talkie career, but this is a completely different story for this German count.<br /><br />And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because this German Count must take lodgings tonight with a Teutonic rich heiress.<br /><br />Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/