Journalist Greg Bachmann (Horst Buchholz) is a reporter in post-World War 11 Berlin. He’s just been released from a lengthy prison term for sneaking into Spandau Prison for a story. Celebrity journalist Cesar Boyd, who arranged for Bachmann’s early release, offers the ex-con a job as his personal assistant. The young man accepts the offer and becomes a highly paid personal assistant and ghost writer for the respected journalist. Boyd’s niece Bettina, who has just arrived from boarding school, comes to live with her uncle. She is immediately taken with the young writer, who is more than happy to show her around town. One night during a deadline crunch, Boyd decides to embellish a true war story told to him by his butler. He changes the facts into a more relevant piece about a Nazi soldier who has just escaped from a Polish bunker after 6 years. He lies to Bachmann, telling him that a trustworthy source supplied the information. Bachmann then reports the story as truth to the press - who turn the unsubstantiated piece into huge headlines. The fictional story soon sweeps the world by storm, causing protests and general unrest. While the story takes off, Boyd and Bettina grow closer and begin looking further into the polarizing case. It isn’t long before Bachmann begins to question the story and the man who has been a mentor to him.

“Wet Asphalt,” presented in near-pristine condition, is a handsomely shot German drama from 1958. The DVD art touts this release as “lost noir,” but it couldn’t be any further from noir convention. In fact, the only aspect that “Asphalt” shares with true film noir is that it was shot in black and white. Presented with subtitles and in dubbed English, this German production is rather routine and uninspired. It feels more like a solid made-for-TV American movie from the 1950’s. In fact, the production values are on par with a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits segment. Its prescient story of media manipulation and the ramifications of treating fiction as truth are more relevant today than ever, but the film just doesn’t have the dramatic weight to deliver. Horst Buchholz plays Bachmann with a slightly detached swagger. It seems unlikely that this man would have been passionate enough to sneak into a prison for a big story. He’s outmatched in the detachment department though by Maria Perschy as Bettina. She sleep walks, wide eyed, through her underwritten role. Their non-chemistry is just one of the many problems with the film. Martin Held as Boyd turns in the most interesting performance and even manages to finesse a little honest drama from some of his scenes. But most of the acting in “Asphalt” just isn’t very compelling - subtitled or not.

Director Rank Wisbar may not have a handle on the actors, but does know how to craft a compelling visual. He and cinematographer Helmut Ashley do a great job with the framing in many of the interior shots. The little drama that does work in the film has more to do with the inspired composition and editing than anything in the script. Writer Will Tremper had a background in journalism and that aspect of the film feels authentic if not especially gripping. Since the story is fabricated and there’s nothing much at stake for anyone involved, little tension is created over the media hysteria. One of the few memorable attributes of this non-noir is the great musical score, a vibrant jazzy concoction, by Hans-Martin Majewski. Majewski had an interesting career in television and film; his work even turns up in the Jess Franco film “The Blood of Fu Manchu” with Christopher Lee. His music here, played over the opening credits, sets up an intriguing tone that is quickly lost just a few minutes in.

This DVD release by Dark Sky Films is a bare bones production. The film is presented full frame, 1.33:1 ratio, but framing appears to be correct. As stated previously, the picture presentation is amazing. Either they found a print that was in near pristine shape or they spent some money on a restoration. Given the obscurity of the title and the overall quality of the film, the former is probably the case. It’s too bad they couldn’t have included a trailer or even some liner notes on the background of the film. Having some perspective on the making of “Wet Asphalt” might have helped in understanding much of the political resonance. The Dolby Digital 2.0 mix was adequate; compared to the picture, the sound was a bit of a disappointment.

This non-noir release by Dark Sky Films is an underwhelming little drama. With inadequate performances and a plodding script, there’s not much here to recommend. For fans of German cinema, 1950’s American television and non-noir only.