In London at the turn of the century, underworld kingpin Mack the Knife marries Polly Peachum without the knowledge of her father, the equally enterprising 'king of the beggars'.
Directed by G.W. Pabst
prostitute
corruption
musical
victorian england
social satire
criminal underworld
stage play
beggar clan
brechtian theatre
IMDB
N/A
Letterboxd
3.6 / 5
Where to Watch
Cast
Rudolf Forster
Mackie Messer
Carola Neher
Polly
Reinhold Schünzel
Tiger-Brown
Fritz Rasp
Peachum
Valeska Gert
Mrs. Peachum
Lotte Lenya
Jenny
Hermann Thimig
The Vicar
Ernst Busch
The Street Singer
Vladimir Sokoloff
Smith, the Jailer
Paul Kemp
Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Gustav Püttjer
Mackie Messer's Gang Member
Crew
G.W. Pabst
Director
Béla Balázs
Screenplay
Kurt Weill
Music
Kurt Weill
Songs
Bertolt Brecht
Story
Bertolt Brecht
Theatre Play
Béla Balázs
Adaptation
Popular Reviews
11 reviews
Matt Brammer
6.0★ · 07/19/25
I have a lot of respect for this film. It came out in 1931 which is crazy to think about, but it also looks fantastic. I'm sure a lot of that is due to the restoration, but the camerawork and even the costumes (with the exception of the lead women) don't remind me of what I've seen from typical 20's and 30's films.
The 3 Penny Opera is a German musical comedy - that's not something you watch every day. That said, it's not the most entertaining watch at times, but the surprisingly clever writing, sweeping camera shots, and goofy characters were enough to keep me engaged.
I have a lot of respect for this film. It came out in 1931 which is crazy to think about, but it also looks fantastic. I'm sure a lot of that is due to the restoration, but the camerawork and even the costumes (with the exception of the lead women) don't remind me of what I've seen from typical 20's and 30's films.
The 3 Penny Opera is a German musical comedy - that's not something you watch every day. That said, it's not the most entertaining watch at times, but the surprisingly clever writing, sweeping camera shots, and goofy characters were enough to keep me engaged.
