The Curse of the Hidden Vault

A strong opening with a murder during a movie screening! Unfortunately, the film's plot then becomes less exciting. This is also due to the lead actors, Harald LEIPNITZ and Judith DORNYS, who simply don't have enough star power. The supporting roles are interestingly cast: Harry MEYEN (Romy SCHNEIDER's first husband) plays the detective assistant, and James Bond villain Ilse STEPPAT (from ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE) plays a shadowy mill owner.

Unfortunately, the Edgar Wallace films (including THE BLACK ABBOT) by Franz Josef GOTTLIEB don't reach the quality of Harald REINL, Jürgen ROLAND, and Alfred VOHRER. However, they are definitely worth seeing for fans of West German horror thrillers.

I love these German adaptations of Edgar Wallace novels, really do, but I just wished they had been a bit more creative and out-of-the-box when it came to their casting choices. It's the 10th, or so, Krimi that I've seen, and Eddi Arent stars as the excessively talking and irritating comic relief character... again. Klaus Kinski stars as the mysterious but relentless and silent killer ... again! Other than that, though, "The Curse of the Hidden Vault" is a very decent and enjoyable thriller with a compelling plot, far-fetched but imaginative twists and a number of ingenious gimmicks, booby-traps and killing methods. The story seems complex but is actually fairly straightforward. Now that he has reached his final years, a former gangster and dubious casino owner becomes remorseful and intends to donate his entire fortune to the daughter of a man he wronged many years ago. All his previous partners, enemies and competitors know the entire inheritance is stored in a secret, hi-tech and heavily booby-trapped vault that no one ever managed to even reach. Now the word is out that the vault will soon be opened, every gangster in London wants to use to girl to get to the fortune. Good pacing, regular action and solid performances from the ensemble cast (also including the great Werner Peters) ensure this is an above average and very entertaining Krimi.

The beginning is memorable: a lady is rescued in a dramatic shoot-out, the words "THE END" appear - and when the camera zooms back, we realize this is a cinema, and one member of the audience has been murdered... Unfortunately, this first scene is already the best in the movie that goes on like this: an old gangster decides before his death to donate all his money to the daughter of a former victim. However, the treasure is locked behind a mysterious door, and every move of the girl is watched by other gangsters. The cast includes the usual suspects like Werner Peters (excellent!), Harald Leipnitz and the ubiquitous Kinski, but for the two very important roles of the heiress and the inspector, Judith Dornys and Harry Meyen were chosen who never appeared in a movie of the Wallace series before or after, and they are just not Dor and Fuchsberger. Meyen looks like a bank clerk rather than a law enforcer. But also for the story and more reasons, "Die Gruft mit dem Rätselschloß" by F.J.Gottlieb is not quite on the same level as the movies directed by Reinl or Vohrer for the series, simple truth.