简介：Ahighlyamusingcourt-roomplayfullofunexpectedturnsintheplotandbrilliantdialogue,HokuspokusisthelastfilmwrittenbyandstarringCurtGoetz.Heplaysalawyerwhodefendsawidow,whoissuspectedtohavemurderedherhusband.Theendismorethanasurprise.VerywelldirectedbythemasterofthelightcomedyKurtHoffmann,thestageplayisturnedintoanentertainingfilmwhichisbeautifullyphotographedbycinematographerRichardAngst.TheDVDofferstherestoredoriginalversionaswellasaradioplaysbyCurtGoetz,originaltrailersoftheCurtGoetzpost-warfilms,andinterviewswithCurtGoetzandValerievonMartens. TheroleofthewhizzkidPeerBillecircusartist,jongleur,circusrider,fastpainter,and,tocrownitall,abrilliantlawyeraswellwasatailor-maderoleforCurtGoetzwhowrotethestoryhimself.Inthe1930s,thetheaterplayHocuspocus,alsowrittenbyGoetz,formsthebasisofhislastmoviewhichwasdirectedbythecomedyspecialistKurtHoffmannin1953.Theplotstartsoutasacrimestoryanddevelopsintoabriskcourtroomcomedywithahappyending.JustasineverymovieoftheactorcoupleValerievonMartensandCurtGoetz,everythingrevolvesaroundthegreatloveofthiscouplewhousedtoshareboththeirartisticandeverydaylives. Acaseofmurderisbroughttocourt.ThepainterHilmarKjerulfisdead,andhiswifeAgdaplayedbyValerievonMartensasthestrategicallynaivewomanendowedwithsubtleclevernessisaccusedofmurder.Theconvictionofthemurderouswidowseemstobecertainduetotheevidencethathasbeencompiled.However,inthenightbeforetheproclamationofthesentence,thepresidentofthecourtisvisitedbyastrangerwhoachievestoprovewithacompletechainofevidencethatthepresident'sfriendMr.Graham(ErichPonto),whohappenstobepresent,mighthavecommittedthemurderaswell.Attheendofhisspeech,thestranger,whoisobviouslyatalentedconjurer,confessestobethetruemurdererofthepainteranddisappearsintothedarkness.Thenextdayincourt,theconjurerreappearsasthelawyeroftheaccusedandapologizesforhisnocturnalburlesquewhichwasmeanttoprovehisargumentation.Hethenstartstodissectwithgreatpleasuretheburdenofproofagainsttheso-calledspousemurderer.She,onherpart,entrapsherselfincontradictions.Whatishappening? GoetzplaysthechangeablespouseofAgdaKjerulfandgivesproofofhistypicalelegance,readywitandcombativespiritthosetalentsthathiscontemporariescherishedsomuchwhentheyadmiredGoetzonstageoratthemovies.HischaracterKjerulfisintroducedastheformerlyhappycircusartistPeerBille.HegivesuphisunsteadylifeforhisbelovedAgda,sinceherfatherexpectshimtostrikeamorebourgeoispath.Hence,Billebecomesanunhappylawyerand,eventually,anunsuccessfulpainterunderthepseudonymofHilmarKjerulf.Thisnewprofessionalchoice,however,impliesanunsoundcompromisebetweenthehocus-pocusofthecircusringandthemumbo-jumboofthecourtroom. Andthen,chanceintervenes:Afteranaccidentonastormylake,whichhasacloseshave,thepainterfallsasleepinatrainand,acoupleofstopslater,arrivesathisoldcircusandreturnstohisformerlifeontrial.Kjerulfwritesalettertohiswife,explainingtoherwhathappened,butunfortunatelyheforgetsitinhispocket.Also,acorpseisfoundclosetoKjerulf'shome.Forthesereasons,Kjerulfisconsidereddead.Acoupleofweekslater,Billereturnshomeincognitobeardlessandvisuallychangedsothattheneighborsconsiderhimtobethewidow'sloverandsuspectherofhavingmurderedherhusband.Allofasudden,Kjerulf'spaintingsaresoldatbestsothathisdebtscanbepaidandtheholesinthehouseholdbudgetarefilled.Therefore,thebrave"little"wifedecidestoenduretheadversitiesofthearrestandtheaccusalforsomemoretime;afterall,thecashtillsringsonicely.Thepresumablydeadhusbandmakesnewpaintings,andtheplotprogressesinentangledways.Eventually,Billehastoslipintohislawyer'srobeoncemoretosavehislovedonefromcondemnation. Onpaper,Goetzwasamasterofbrilliantone-liners.Asanactor,heknewexactlyhowtotophiswit,usingdiligentlysuchmeansasemphasis,pausesandintonation.ThisadmirablevirtuosityofactingwasmatchedbyhiscongenialpartnerValerievonMartens.ThecouplewassowellattunedintheirdialogsandbodylanguagethatthequalityoftheirperformancescouldhardlybesurpassedintheremakesofHeinzRühmannorinthevariousstagingslateron.TheemotionaltiebetweenValerievonMartensandCurtGoetzwasevidentineverysinglescene:Theydidnotneedtosimulatetheirloveforeachotherbecausetheirloveprovidedthesolidfootingoftheirartisticwork.InHocuspocus,ValerievonMartensperformsmostlywhilesheissittinginthedockofthecourtroomaplacementthatextremelylimitshermovementradius.Despitethispassiveposition,sheclearlydominatestheroom.Andgradually,thetruthisunearthed:TheallegedlyweakAgdaKjerulfconfidentlypullsthestringsandrevealsherselfasthesovereignofthegame.InGoetz'comedies,theheroinesusetheirfemininitywithsomuchcharmandimmediatesuccessthattheirdominanceintheplayofsexesleavesnodoubts.Onlyonceinawhile,themaleheroesareallowedtocrowlikeeloquentcocks.ThisrepresentationoftheloveplayisbasedonGoetz'ideaofmutualtolerancetowardstheparticularvanitiesandflawsofbothsexes.AnditisalsoGoetz'pleaforhumanity:Theall-too-humanaspectsareinfullbloomduetothefertilegroundsofhisurbanehumor.…