Josef von Sternberg is a name synonymous with cutting-edge cinema and stylishly poignant storytelling, which has echoed throughout the past century as one of the greatest ever examples of the medium.

Think of all the great — and not-so-great — gangster films you’ve seen, from Little Caesar to GoodFellas, from The Public Enemy to Pulp Fiction, from Scarface (1932) to Scarface (1983). And, of course ...