Metropolis: Film Critique

Metropolis is a Silent German classic released in 1927, deemed as the first great science fiction. The story was initially written by Thea Von Harbou, who went on to collaborate with her husband, Fritz Lang, to translate it into a silent noir film. Metropolis is, therefore, a collaborative project. The veteran director was catholic with Jewish heritage, an unusual match for the loyal Nazi Thea Von Harbou. Both eventually separated, Fritz Lang ultimately ending up with huge success living in Hollywood. WW1 had ended a decade before the release of Metropolis and Fritz had established his career in-between the first and second world wars, which would have had inevitable influence over his work due to its drastic reverberations across all aspects of normal German life. Hyperinflation was a serious issue across the world at the time, being especially bad in Germany. This created bleak attitudes throughout the German people, the government wasn’t trusted. All these points helped the rise of German expressionism, which focused on the horrors of war and self-criticism. Metropolis was born during this art movement. “a stylized, visually-compelling, melodramatic silent film set in the dystopic, 21st-century city of Metropolis” – Tim Dirks (2019) rottentomatoes.com

Metropolis Poster (2013)

The hollow, black pitted windows (in figure 1) seen amongst the bleak dystopian city of metropolis are a clear link to the expressionists amongst German society. What is usually a view into a structure’s soul shows emptiness and lifelessness, a suggestion of the isolation Germany had felt through WW1. Spaces seen within shots are filled with illusions, making them seem grander than they are. What some might see as clever set design could also be a link to the distrust Germany had towards powerful figures. As viewers, we see layers, levels, dimension and logical architecture that isn’t there. Scenes are also very muted; no intense light sources, expression through light is subdued. The foggy and confused atmosphere this portrays is intensified by the chrome colour palette. The thick layer of smog that is created from censored light gives viewers a sense of claustrophobia, a poetic translation of similar feelings Germany had about inflation, and their debts after the war?  Symbolism is an important theme amongst this film’s environment, religious imagery seemed very significant. The star of David is scribed on lots of doors that are unwelcoming of Freder, the protagonist. A story interpretation could be that this character transitions into Christianity and is struggling with these Jewish obstructions visualized as locked doors. Metropolis has a strong theme of religion, but I think this idea of religious challenge is a personal expression from Fritz, who had catholic beliefs and Jewish heritage. His tense relationship with his loyal Nazi wife Thea could have leaked its way into this film’s messages. As viewers, we repeatedly see this star drawn with chalk onto doors. This could suggest that most of the cities overworked slaves are Jewish. Christianity is portrayed as hope and enlightenment, especially during the scene of Maria in the catacombs surrounded by candlelight and crosses, as seen in figure 2. This would be a controversial message nowadays, as it seems to characterize and villainize religious groups, whilst glorifying others. This message possibly shows Germanys Nazi attitudes towards religion lingering in their 1920’s society…

Figure 1, The City (2019)

Figure 2, Maria (2019)

Within the plot of metropolis, the vast city is deliberately unexplored, creating a numb perception. At the beginning of the story, we see Freder’s initial exposure to the exploited workers of the city and their grueling routine. Nothing else is unveiled to us or the protagonist, as though one look at a worker’s depressing lifestyle is enough to establish the rest, individuality doesn’t seem to exist in Metropolis. From what I gathered, the story explores the idea of the head and the hands of a city; the minds and the builders. The terrible relationship between both sides is revealed to audiences as the plot progresses. Maria’s tale to the workers in the catacombs explains how inequality can gradually develop within society as it grows. At the end of the film, viewers are reminded of the heart, the median of mind and hands. The city is ‘saved’ by this realization and the mediators' message from Maria (and god allegedly) to join the overpowered minds of the rich and exploited hands of workers through the heart to restore dystopia into utopia. Could this be a message to German citizens in 1927? To find their heart and rebuild Germany after WW1 and overcome hyper-inflation? A darker interpretation could be that Metropolis’s morals are simply political propaganda, with the intention to heal and prepare for the second world war. The story of Metropolis also attempts to explore the idea of the future, it’s almost an attempt to follow in the footsteps of 1920’s Italy, who’s attitudes were more positive post-war, focusing on hope and their dramatic modernization. Was Germany trying to copy Italy to escape their slump? The bleak aura gives this film a creepy sensation and is more unsettling than hopeful.

Initially, I felt that exploring characters in metropolis was going to be a bore until I tried to make interpretations of what I noticed and noted down. Beginning with the boring, common gender stereotypes are very evident throughout the film; no women workers in the factories and the female lead Maria is portrayed as pure through her faith in religion, walking around the city clutching her chest in fear and with foolish, naïve loyalty that her role is to wait for the film’s hero, the mediator, Freder. Maria is your typical damsel in distress, constantly getting abducted and rescued. However, her will power enables her to keep a strong faith in love and the heart. Maria can overcome the angry mob that the entire population becomes and achieves her role despite being ultimately hated by thousands. To me, the workers themselves are some of the most interesting characters in this film. This is due to their similarities with current lifestyles in modern-day; eat, sleep, work. “Fredersen’s city is designed to malnourish its inhabitants” – Simon Abrams (2010) slantmagazine.com. The workers of Metropolis are visualized as a giant synchronized mass, furthering the idea of no originality or individuality. These workers are oppressed, exploited and are more like slaves than people. The oversized shoes all workers (seen in figure 3 on the far left) resemble those of a clown, suggesting stupidity, foolishness, and clumsiness. Workers hang their heads in tiredness and maybe shame. The attitudes of these workers are easy to read through costume and posture, even if most never talk in the film. The shamefulness of the workers could relate to how German expressionists were feeling in 1920 Germany; self-critical. The bland and nowadays overused protagonist works surprisingly well for this film “a loner hero who discovers the inner workings of the future society” – Roger Ebert (1998) rogerebert.com. A naïve Freder is exposed to the worker oppression, capitalism and inequality behind the neon-lit façade he has grown up around. Viewers see the true city for the first time along with the protagonist. The relationship between rich and poor in the film could have easily reflected Germany at the time. Mental illness is a theme explored by the character Josaphat, who tries to kill himself when he loses his job, despite it being so grueling. This insinuates that the people of metropolis see themselves as nothing but workers, even the rich. The theme of mentally damaging work is partnered with intelligence through Josephat’s understanding of the strange symbols on the screen in Jon’s office, which resemble the Latin alphabet. A viewer’s recognition of the letters and inability to read them makes audiences feel alien and uneducated in their universe. 

Figure 3, Worker (left), Freder (middle), Jon (left) (2019)

Overall, I enjoyed the film (more than the cabinet of dr Caligari). Metropolis is timeless and doesn’t feel like it was made in 1927. the film is an effective representation of Germany during its release, I can see why it is a pivotal piece of German expressionist art because it truly captures the emotional, hopeless, politically aware attitudes at the time.  

Bibliography

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