The film tries to capture the "nervous epidemic" caused by war and misery which "drives people mad". This unique portrait of the life in 1919 Germany, filmed on location in Munich, describes the cases of different people from all levels of society: Factory owner Roloff, who loses his mind in view of catastrophies and social disturbances; teacher John, who is the hero of the masses; and Marja who turns into a radical revolutionary.
Cinematography
Munich locations shot like a city having a nervous breakdown.
Acting
Winterstein's unraveling factory owner is silent-era unhinged.
Direction
Reinert basically invented the psychological thriller template.
Director
Robert Reinert
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot during the actual Spartacist uprising in Munich—some extras were literally fresh from street fighting. The 'nervous epidemic' wasn't metaphor, it was diagnosis.
The film was so intense that cinemas allegedly hired medics for screenings. Audiences reportedly fainted. Silent film hits different when society's actually collapsing.
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