Sunday, August 08, 2021

Der Golem. Wie er in die Welt kam (1920)

English title: The Golem: How He Came Into the World

Faced with the impending expulsion of his community from Germany, a rabbi builds an automaton from clay to defend the Jews. The Golem goes berserk and endangers the community.

Fantastic drama with good special effects and an enjoyably simple plot which is reportedly faithful to the medieval legend it is based on. The characters are well-done caricatures: the rabbi-astrologer, his seductive daughter, the Golem himself, the unfortunate assistant, the hedonistic king, the effeminate courier, etc. The magnificent sets alone would make the film worth watching. 

The restored version is shorter (at 76') than some other versions which have been released; the (apparently) longest version (at 101') does not contain any scenes which alter the narrative in a perceptible manner, and lacks the scene where the little girl throws the "Golem-switch" star of David.

Rating: 57

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