Faust (1926)
(Intro - first 3 minutes)
Directed by: F.W.Murnau
Starring: Goste Ekman, Emil Jennings, Camille Horn
Length: 106 min.
Genre: Fantasy / Horror
Based on: Faust by Goethe (but also draws from other versions of the Faust legend)
Mephisto (Emil Jennings) makes a bet with an angel that he can corrupt Faust's (Goste Ekman) soul, and if he wins, the domain of Earth will be his. Faust's village is hit by the plague, and Faust searches for an answer. Mephisto, shows up and offers to give him the power of the devil for one day so that he can help his people. Faust agrees, but when Faust tries to cure a woman wearing a cross, he can not get close to her. The villagers recognize that he is a servant of Satan now, and chase after him.
Mephisto then gives Faust youth, and takes him away from the village. Faust agrees to make the deal he made permanent to keep his youth. He falls for a girl, Gretchen (Camille Horn), and begins an affair with her. However, Mephisto frames Faust for the murder of Gretchen's brother, and Faust flees. Gretchen gives birth to Faust's child, but being as she had an affair out of wedlock, she is shunned by everyone, even when she is trying to find a place warm for her baby in the cold winter. When the child dies, she is put to the stake for murder.
Faust goes to her as she is being taken to the stake for execution, but Mephisto takes Faust's youth away. Faust runs to Gretchen as the fire is lit, and despite his old age, she recognizes him. When Mephisto goes back to the angel, he is informed that he lost the bet since Faust was stil capable of love.
The special effects in this movie were incredible (for the time, of course). They didn't come cheap, though, as the movie cost about 2 million marks to make, and the movie only made half of that back. However, the film did cement F.W.Murnau's career, as well as Emil Jennings. This would be Murnau's last film in Germany. Murnau was signed by Fox shortly before the release of Faust, and would go on to direct Sunrise (1927) which would be the start to his short career in Hollywood (he was killed in an car accident in 1931).
Emil Jennings also went to the US. He starred in The Last Command (1928), a lost film, and acted in the US until 1930. He returned to Germany, and continued acting until the mid 1940s.
Entertainment Rating: 9/10
Historical Rating: 9/10