The Blue Moth

Julia Martens is a wrongly convicted murderess who is released from prison after thirteen years. She begins a new career as a chanson singer and her now grown-up son, who has been told that his mother is dead, has no idea who Julia Martens really is. One day he is suspected of murder and Julia intervenes.

Directed by Wolfgang Schleif, The Blue Moth leans on a strong ensemble — Zarah Leander, Christian Wolff, Paul Hartmann — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1959.