Rath attends the show one night to catch some of his boys in this den of wickedness, but he is soon drawn into Lola's sensual spell, and in time becomes involved in an obsessive romance with her that costs him his job, his savings, and his dignity.

Bosley Crowther of The New York Times panned the film as "ponderous", finding a "zombie-like quality" in Curd Jürgens' acting and describing the restraint placed upon May Britt as "difficult to fathom ... she looks and behaves like a normal ballet dancer in a Broadway musical show, not like a slinky sex-pot in a smoky night club in Berlin.

"[8] Harrison's Reports disagreed and called Jürgens' performance "powerful", further opining that Britt "emerges as a gaminesque sprite with many of the qualities that brought fame to Shirley MacLaine.

"[10] Richard L. Coe of The Washington Post praised Jürgens for a "wholly engrossing performance", but called it "too bad" that the remake was "a soft, charmingly hued pastel that twins with Soap Opera.

"[12] The Guardian thought the new, happier ending of the remake was "a monstrosity" and found May Britt "a demure and vapid siren" when compared to Marlene Dietrich, adding, "The best that can be said for this travesty is that it may encourage someone to show the first version again.