Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis” is a landmark in film history,
inspiring much in the genre of science-fiction cinema that followed. Based on a
novel by Thea von Harbou. it tells the story of a familial struggle that comes
to represent the warring classes of post-industrial societies. Early in the
film we are introduced to the workers who slave away deep underground,
maintaining the machines that power the city. High above in lush gardens we
find the upper classes frolicking. A young woman named Maria brings a group of
children from the lower levels to see their ‘brothers’ in this luxurious upper
world. She is soon removed from their garden with the children and forced to
return downstairs. Not before catching the attention of Freder. Freder is the
son of Fredersen, the wealthy capitalist who controls Metropolis. Interested in
this woman, Freder follows her down to the depths where he witnesses the harsh
conditions of the workers. After a fire breaks out in one of the machines,
Freder argues with his father about the conditions these people are labouring
in. His father is unsympathetic and Freder returns underground to help the
workers. Meanwhile, the inventor Rotwang, has created an automaton to replace
his lost love Hel. Frederick decides they will use this machine to sow discord
amongst the workers by making it up to look like Maria and poisoning their
thoughts. However, Rotwang has other plans, intending to take revenge on
Frederick for stealing Hel from him.
The film uses close-ins of pistons and machine parts and
stills of the city to create a sense of place and atmosphere. Shot on
impressive sets of factories, streets, workshops and office rooms, the film
manages to paint a vivid picture of its world, creating several distinct
locations. The central theme of the film is the disconnect between the boss and
the workers, a perennial complaint in industrialised societies. Here it is
summarized as a gap between ‘head’ and ‘hands’ that can only be bridged by the
‘heart’. The film is as relevant today as when it was first released. While
technology has advanced, we are still burdened with the same issue of the
necessity of hierarchy leading almost inevitably to inequality and dissent. The
film distils this essential and insoluble problem of capitalist societies in a
way that is powerful and will continue to resonate as long as we maintain the
current economic model. The film is also prescient in its depiction of an
artificial lifeform, in the form of the Machine Man, who later takes on the
appearance of Maria. It never fully develops this idea, perhaps unsurprisingly
given how far ahead of its time it was, using it more as a plot device to
prompt the revolution in the underclass. The visuals of towering cities, with
planes flying amongst high-rise buildings and train tracks can be seen
replicated in Blade Runner, The Fifth Element and other science-fiction films
that followed decades later. Likewise the central thesis of a workers revolt
has been replicated many times over the years.
“Metropolis” is definitely worth watching. The visuals are
impressive for the time and the story is engaging, with several plot strands
woven together, from Maria and Freder’s relationship, to the revenge of Rotwang,
and the underlying struggle of the capitalist Fredersen against the workers.
There are also a number of religious references in the film, such as the
machine transforming into Moloch, and a retelling of the story of the Tower of
Babel. Lang is clearly aware that despite its futuristic setting, the story he
is telling is one that is timeless and will continue to echo down the ages.
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