Diary of a Lost Girl

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Diary of a Lost Girl

1929

1h 36m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

100%

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9 Reviews

87%

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1,000+ Ratings

In Germany, chemist's daughter Thymian (Louise Brooks) is raped by her father's assistant. When she becomes pregnant and bears a child but refuses to marry her assaulter, her outraged father sends her to a brutal reformatory. Thymian soon escapes with a friend, Erika (Edith Meinhard), only to learn that her child has died. She then finds Erika working at a brothel and, with no other option, joins her. Gradually, Thymian works her way higher by marrying a count, but her past haunts her.

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

11/30/2021

4/4

It's not the equal of Pandora's Box, but [Brooks's] performance is on the same high level.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

11/21/2014

4/5

[A] deliciously sordid soap opera.

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Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

08/07/2019

4/4

A masterpiece of the silent era, and a showcase for one of the silver screen's greatest stars.

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Lewis Porteous

The Skinny

11/20/2014

4/5

What rescues the movie from quaint anonymity is the nausea-inducing darkness that permeates its every frame

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

06/22/2006

B

It's the brilliant performance by the radiantly beautiful Brooks that makes this otherwise forgettable soap opera story memorable.

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Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

06/29/2005

4/5

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william d

@acsdoug 02/07/2023

While watching this movie I was reminded of Chaplin's quote regarding the advent of sound: "Just when we were getting it right it was over." Diary of a Lost Girl could be the peak of silent drama (silent comedy hit its stride much earlier). Every actor conveys the entire emotional spectrum with just facial expressions and body language. Louise Brooks is beautiful and Pabst's direction is superb.

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01/06/2022

Another masterpiece from G.W. Pabst and Louise Brooks which in ways is more satisfying than their earlier work, "Pandora's Box."

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david f

@dfulmer 01/22/2020

This classic silent film is a sympathetic portrayal of a young woman who gets caught up in the hypocritical sexual mores of society, breaks with her family, is institutionalized, becomes a whore with a heart of gold, and makes a redemptive case for a little more love in society.

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09/08/2019

Not really convincing story.

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10/25/2017

Im not a huge fan of silent films, but this one is actually pretty interesting.

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08/12/2016

Outrageously acted by Louise Brooks and directed by Pabst. One of his blue ribbon winners, to be sure.

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Georg Wilhelm Pabst

Director

Louise Brooks

Thymiane

Fritz Rasp

Meinert

Josef Rovenský

Robert Henning

Sybille Schmitz

Elisabeth

Valeska Gert

The director's wife

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Synopsis

In Germany, chemist's daughter Thymian (Louise Brooks) is raped by her father's assistant. When she becomes pregnant and bears a child but refuses to marry her assaulter, her outraged father sends her to a brutal reformatory. Thymian soon escapes with a friend, Erika (Edith Meinhard), only to learn that her child has died. She then finds Erika working at a brothel and, with no other option, joins her. Gradually, Thymian works her way higher by marrying a count, but her past haunts her.

Director: Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Producer: Georg Wilhelm Pabst
Screenwriter: Margarete Böhme, Rudolf Leonhardt
Distributor: Kino Video, Grapevine Video
Production Co: Pabst-Film, Hom-AG für Filmfabrikation
Genre: Drama
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 27, 1929, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 31, 2015
Runtime: 1h 36m
Aspect Ratio: Academy (1.33:1)