When Duty Calls

This is one of the many Cinema Art posters that features a different film title to other countries. The film’s original German title is Der Mann im Feuer, which translates to The Man in the Fire.

The poster’s composition employs sharp diagonals to emphasise the dramatic nature of the film and the main image focuses on the film’s central romance between Hellmuth (Henry Stuart) and Lore (Helga Thomas). In the top image Lore swoons in the arms of Helmeth while in the bottom image she swoons in an entirely different manner, presumably because of the smoke and heat from the fire raging in the background. The fire itself is cleverly used as a metaphor for their shared passion.

The film’s director, Erich Waschneck, later gained notoriety for directing the Nazi anti-semitic propaganda film The Rothschilds in 1940.