Il deportato

"Deported" was one the last of Siodmak's American movies,and I have got to agree with the precedent user:it's probably his weakest American effort (for that matter,only the ridiculous " Cobra woman" is worse).It's also the beginning of a period of barren inspiration-although some praise " the crimson pirate" - which would end when he returned in his native Germany where he made other great movies ("Nachts,Wenn Der Teufel Kam" "die Ratten"...).

Siodmak was always a cosmopolitan director who began his career in Germany (1929),then continued in France and spent the forties in America.So it was only natural he chose Italy as the place of his 1950 work.Unfortunately,his depiction of Italy is handicapped by the fact that Italians,most of the time,speak English between them,and that the screenplay is full of Italian clichés such as the meal with the uncle and the whole family.Some characters (Gina)appear and disappear without any purpose.Some (the Comtessa) are clichéd.And it takes a lot of imagination to believe that Jeff Chandler ,who never utters a word in Italian,was born there .Only the scenes in the warehouse where Siodmak does a smart use of toys -although too short- recall his film noir greatness (from " phantom lady" to " Thelma Jordan" (1944-1949) all that he did is classic or near-classic thriller)