The film jumps recklessly (and, often, exhilaratingly) from coarse comedy to cutting drama.
Lubitsch’s comedies dig deeper, but this early drama is still an intriguing entry in the director’s evolution.
Sumurun of the urbane Lubitsch’s most fascinating detours into exotica.
The film was one of several historical pageantries made by Ernst Lubitsch during his early tenure with UFA studios.
The Arabian Nights spectacle of Sumurun attests to silent German cinema’s fascination with ornate orientalism.
All appearances and hypnotic suggestions to the contrary, identity is Dr. Mabuse’s wager of choice.
“Tsi-Nan-Fu!” Go forth and do the bidding I have coded in this review.