Marizza, genannt die Schmuggler
overblik
MARIZZA is the first of Murnau's peasant films. Marizza is tired of her smuggler employer's orders for her to play up to the gendarmes so that he and his men can ship contraband. She leaves and begins work at the farm of an impoverished aristocrat, Mme. Avricolos and her twin sons, Christo (dynamic) and Antonino (dreamy). Marizza is discovered in Christo's room by his mother and she banishes Marizza who runs away with Antonino. Mme. Avricolos sets the smugglers on their trail and they are found, poor and starving (shades of TABU). Marizza plays up to the gendarmes, especially Haslinger, in order to get money, but Antonino becomes jealous and attacks Haslinger. Marizza kills the latter to save Antonino, who accuses himself of the murder. There is a last minute rescue of both Marizza and her baby from a burning cabin.