Death comes calling in 25 minutes — and he's not here for small talk.
Based on several medieval mystery plays, including the late 15th-century English morality play "Everyman". The premise is that the good and evil deeds of one's life will be tallied by God after death, as in a ledger book. The drama is the allegorical accounting of the life of Everyman, who represents all mankind.
Acting
Werner Krauss's Death: theatrical menace before Caligari.
Production
Medieval pageantry recreated with 1916 film tech.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This is likely the first film adaptation of a medieval English morality play, beating Shakespeare to the silent screen by decades.
The 1916 release during WWI transformed a 15th-century sermon into urgent wartime meditation on sudden death.
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