Lorre's character Janos is lost in thought and isolated though surrounded by his criminal gang.A little gem and a considered by many film historians to be one of the best B-movies, this one remains compelling because of Peter Lorre's wonderful performance. Lorre begins as a bright-eyed immigrant eager to work hard in America, so he can bring his Hungarian sweetheart to the new country. Caught in a hotel fire, which burns his face, he becomes demoralized and turns to crime in hopes that he can gather enough money to pay for facial reconstruction. Biographer Stephen D Youngkin saw the movie as a portent of "a sort of grim, apocalyptic vision of [Lorre's] future in Hollywood," (The Lost One, 2005). As it did for Janos, the American dream went sour for the talented actor who became unable to escape his creepster roles.
By the way, that biography is highly recommended. It's exceptionally well-researched, and details the story of Lorre's experiences in the provocative Weimar theatre scene as well as delving into his Hollywood years. It is, however, uncompromisingly depressing. Interesting tidbit I learned: Lorre's first wife played the high priestess of Vulcan in the original series!
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