Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit (1922)
Genre: Crime / Thriller
Duration: 195 minuten / 297 minuten (gerestaureerde versie)
Alternative titles: Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler / Dr. Mabuse, King of Crime
Country:
Germany
Directed by: Fritz Lang
Stars: Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Alfred Abel and Gertrude Welcker
IMDb score:
7,8 (10.119)
Releasedate: 27 April 1922
This movie is not available on US streaming services.
Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit plot
In post-World War I Berlin, Dr. Mabuse tries to gain money and power through crime. The detective Norbert von Wenck tries with all his might to stop him.
Actors and actresses
Dr. Mabuse
Cara Carozza
Countess Dusy Told
Count Told
Prosecutor von Wenk
Edgar Hull
Spoerri
Georg
Pesch
Hawasch
Reviews & comments
Spetie
-
- 38871 messages
- 8623 votes
It should be clear that “Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler - Ein Bild der Zeit” is a film that requires you to really sit down and watch it. Such a running time simply demands a certain level of concentration, especially when there is no dialogue. Nevertheless, I was quite looking forward to it, because Fritz Lang is an extremely fascinating director and Dr. Mabuse is an equally interesting character. The version I saw, incidentally, runs just under four hours.
Dr. Mabuse tells a long, captivating story. Dr. Mabuse himself is quite a mysterious character and is played excellently by Rudolf Klein-Rogge. His disguises are clever, and the way he manipulates the German economy is entertaining to watch. He clearly despises the rich, who do nothing but gamble away money in times of poverty. Dr. Mabuse clearly enjoys dealing with these kinds of people in his own mean way. The way they try to uncover his identity is certainly well done.
I must say, however, that the story is drawn out quite a bit. In the second half, there are sometimes moments that feel somewhat superfluous. As a result, the final hour feels a bit tedious at times, and the ultimate impact is slightly diminished. Visually, the film is clearly ahead of its time. The scene in particular where Dr. Mabuse hypnotizes the detective for the first time looks extraordinarily beautiful. It is nice, by the way, that Dr. Mabuse reappears quite often in Lang's oeuvre. It turns out his very last film from the sixties is also about this. I definitely want to see that one sometime as well.
Dr. Mabuse is a fascinating character and this film is certainly worth watching, although I personally had hoped it would be slightly better.
3.5*
Translated from Dutch · View original
Roger Thornhill
-
- 6280 messages
- 2591 votes
"Nothing in the world is interesting in the long run! – – except for one... The game with people and human destinies!" A film nearly a century old, but of all the silent films I have seen, this is perhaps the one that feels the most modern. No overly long close-ups, no sentimentality, very little silent-film overacting (with the exception of Aud Egede Nissen as Cara Carozza, and an exaggerated outburst of rage from—surprisingly enough—the otherwise magnificent Rudolf Klein-Rogge with his perfect face full of obsession and willpower), and a high tempo despite the extremely long running time, so that those 270 minutes actually pass surprisingly quickly. (The second half does feel slightly slower than the first, without that having a dramatic impact on my appreciation; perhaps the setup of the charismatic Mabuse is more interesting than Wenk's detective work.) The rather explicit bare breasts and nipples are noteworthy (just like in Der müde Tod from a year earlier), and the ennui and indolence of the Countess are very well captured, but central to the story remains the title character with his megalomania, his boundless ambitions, and his Nietzschean pretensions (he even explicitly says: "There is no luck – there is only a will to power!") – it is quite understandable that Christopher Nolan modeled his Joker after Mabuse.
Translated from Dutch · View original
starbright boy (moderator films)
-
- 22742 messages
- 5353 votes
I found 4.5 hours to be quite long, and particularly in the latter part of the first section, the film becomes rather repetitive. That being said, for a film from 1922, this is often a remarkably modern-looking film. Not so much expressionistic as almost foreshadowing Lang’s American career. In a sense, less of a silent film and almost a sound film without dialogue. Mostly less theatrical, with a fairly realistic-looking setting and, for example, a fairly modern structure of longer scenes.
What is also fascinating is how this film refers to current events of the time. The Weimar Republic and its dangers and status are an important theme played out between the lines.
Translated from Dutch · View originalPre- and sequels
Die Todesstrahlen des Dr. Mabuse
1964
Scotland Yard Jagt Dr. Mabuse
1963
1 comment
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
1962
Die Unsichtbaren Krallen des Dr. Mabuse
1962
Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse
1961
Die 1000 Augen des Dr. Mabuse
1960
3 comments
Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse
1933
3 comments
Latest News
Recent films that turn the gaming table into a pressure cooker
Why Casinos Remain a Popular Setting in Crime Dramas
Oscar Isaac after Dune: roles that reveal a different side of the actor
Behind the Scenes: The Making of Star Wars and Its Legacy
Corporate & Media
Realtimes Network
Innovatieweg 20C
7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31(315)-764002
