Der Mann, Der Seinen Mörder Sucht (aka The Man In Search Of His Murderer) (1931)

A young man (Heinz Ruhmann) is depressed with his life and plans on killing himself. When a professional burglar (Raimund Janitschek) breaks into his apartment with a gun, he offers the burglar money to kill him in 12 hours. The burglar agrees but when the man falls in love with a pretty blonde (Lien Deyers) that night, he changes his mind about dying and the race is on to find the assassin to tell him the deal is off but will he find him in time? Based on the play by Ernst Neubach and directed by Robert Siodmak (THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE). Despite the grimness of the plot synopsis and film noir master Siodmak at the helm, the movie itself is a black comedy. It plays out like a live action cartoon with the assassin a sort of Wile E. Coyote to the victim's Road Runner. I couldn't help but think this might have worked even better as a silent movie comedy. Sadly, the film doesn't exist in complete form. About a half hour is missing and considered lost. The film is notable for not only Siodmak's direction but others who would also emigrate to the U.S. and find fame like Billy Wilder (who co-wrote the screenplay) and Franz Waxman (who conducted the score). With Hermann Speelmans and Greta Keller.