Some will find the ending a disappointment, others a pitch-perfect question mark, but noir lovers of all stripes will appreciate the art and atmosphere of Werner Klingler’s Banktresor 713 (US: Bank Vault 713), the story of two brothers who come undone by a bank break-in attempt. Unemployed and desperate, Herbert Burkhardt (the outstanding Martin Held) conjures a plan to tunnel underneath a busy intersection into a bank vault by pretending to be a city worker; when invited, his little brother Klaus (Hardy Krüger), a gas station attendant, reluctantly agrees to join, hoping for a windfall that could change his life. Much of the film takes place underground, where suspense builds with each unwelcome visitor (a dog, a few kids, a patrolman) and the visual palette comes alive with the look of Harry Lyme’s sewer escape in The Third Man (1949). For female companionship, Herbert has his concerned wife Vera (Nadja Tiller) while Klaus has Margot (Helga Martin), the girl he wants to marry and whose future security is a prime motivation for his criminal collaboration. Cinematographer Ashley takes advantage of the underground setting to utilize deep focus, framing shots, and, of course, plenty of shadows, but even in the open air above, the visual compositions are beautifully done: for example, note the translucent light that reflects through Klaus as he studies merchandise through the shop window.