VILLAIN BY ACCIDENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22332, 1 February 1936, Page 14 (Supplement)

VILLAIN BY ACCIDENT

PETER LORRE'S "HORROR" ROLES Karloff is ono exponent of horror; Lugosi is another, but perhaps more interesting than either of these is a man who became famous as a purveyor of horror by accident—Peter Lorre. If you meet him privately, it is at once apparent that here is no Chaneyesque fanatic of terror. He is short, plump and merry. No gaunt shadows aro rovealed under his eyes and his voice has no macabre quality, but is carefully modulated and faintly German in accent. At first sight it seems that ho would be more suitable for comedy roles. In actual fact, he used regularly to play comedy parts on the German stage. It was when ho was rehearsing a boy's role in a Berlin theatre that Fritz Lang chanced to see him. He perceived Lorre's capabilitties and offered him a contract with the rather peculiar clause that, in the first talkie Lang should make, the chief part should go to Lorre. A year passed and nothing materialised. Then it was decided to make a film about the Dusseldorf murders. Lorre was given the title role and launched on a film career of crimo. "It quickly brought me valuable offers from America," ho said. "But I

refused them all. I considered myself an actor, not a horrifying automaton, which was what they wanted to make mo. Nevertheless, no one would consider me for anything but this typo of role. I was almost in despair when I was given the script of The Man Who Knew Too Much' to read, with a view to my taking the part of the spy. This although, of course, it did not allow me to get away from my 'horrid' screen nature, was a really intelligent and constructive film, and the part called for subtle characterisation. This gave the role a background of reality and I was very glad to play it. "I hold no brief for the purely horrific film. I agree, with its critics, that its appeal is essentially evil."