S.O.S. Iceberg (1933)

 

An Arctic expedition searches for a party of adventurers that went missing a year ago.

Semi-documentary adventure drama has a fairly conventional narrative, but is spectacular in its dramatic scenes of Arctic dangers, all photographed on location.

Halliwell*: "At the time this was a spectacular semi-documentary, but it did no business."

Maltin***: "Vivid drama with many hair-raising scenes, shot on locations...filled with striking images...American version...is substantially different. It opens with entirely different exposition and features much more dialogue, until the climax." 

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse (1933)

 

When a series of crime events terrorize the city, the police suspect the involvement of Dr Mabuse, a notorious criminal. They are astonished as he has been captive in an asylum since a decade.

Top-notch action thriller of its time with some madcap sequences revealing Fritz Lang's obvious brilliance, but - despite some claims to the contrary - it's less political warning and rather just simple entertainment.

Halliwell*: "Fast-moving penny dreadful, alleged by its director to be a denouncing of the doctrines of Hitler, but showing little evidence of being more than a very slick entertainment."

Maltin***1/2: "...less stylized but no less entertaining crime story - which even incorporates supernatural elements. Film was a subject of controversy during Nazi era."