“Metropolis” is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction film directed by Fritz Lang. It is set in a futuristic dystopian city where society is sharply divided between the wealthy elite who live in luxury above ground and the oppressed working class who toil away in the underground factories that power the city.
The film stars Gustav Fröhlich as Freder, the privileged son of Joh Fredersen, the ruler of Metropolis, who becomes disillusioned with his father’s oppressive regime after witnessing the suffering of the city’s workers. Brigitte Helm as Maria / False Maria – Maria is a compassionate young woman who leads the workers in their struggle for justice. False Maria is a robotic doppelgänger created by the mad scientist Rotwang to sow chaos and discord among the workers.
Alfred Abel, as Joh Fredersen, is the autocratic ruler of Metropolis, overseeing the city’s operations with an iron fist, caring little for the plight of the workers until his own son becomes involved. Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Rotwang, A brilliant but deranged scientist who harbors a personal vendetta against Joh Fredersen and creates the False Maria to further his own agenda, and Heinrich George as Grot, the foreman of the underground workers who becomes a key figure in the workers’ uprising.
The story centers around Freder, who becomes infatuated with Maria after encountering her in the city’s depths. Through Maria, Freder learns of the workers’ deplorable conditions and becomes determined to bridge the gap between the city’s two classes.
Meanwhile, Joh Fredersen enlists Rotwang’s help to undermine Maria’s influence over the workers. Rotwang creates a robotic duplicate of Maria, known as False Maria, to incite the workers to revolt and bring about chaos in Metropolis.
As tensions escalate between the workers and the ruling class, Metropolis teeters on the brink of destruction. Freder, Maria, and a small band of allies work tirelessly to prevent catastrophe and reconcile the city’s warring factions.
“Metropolis” is renowned for its groundbreaking special effects, stunning visual design, and themes exploring the consequences of unchecked industrialization and social inequality. Fritz Lang’s vision has stamped this film as a masterpiece of cinema that continues to inspire to this day.
The Other Cinema 