Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (1922)

Arch-criminal Dr. Mabuse sets out to make a fortune and run Berlin. Detective Wenk sets out to stop him.

Director:

Fritz Lang

Writers:

Norbert Jacques (novel), Fritz Lang

Stars:

Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Aud Egede-Nissen, Gertrude Welcker

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rudolf Klein-Rogge	...	Dr. Mabuse
Aud Egede-Nissen	...	Cara Carozza, the dancer
Gertrude Welcker	...	Countess Dusy Told (as Gertrude Welker)
Alfred Abel	...	Count Told / Richard Fleury - US version
Bernhard Goetzke	...	Prosecutor von Wenk / Chief Inspector Norbert von Wenck / Chief Inspector De Witt - US version
Paul Richter	...	Edgar Hull
Robert Forster-Larrinaga	...	Spoerri
Hans Adalbert Schlettow	...	Georg, the Chauffeur (as Hans Adalbert von Schlettow)
Georg John	...	Pesch
Károly Huszár	...	Hawasch (as Karl Huszar)
Grete Berger	...	Fine, a servant
Julius Falkenstein	...	Karsten
Lydia Potechina	...	The Russian
Julius E. Herrmann	...	Emil Schramm (as Julius Herrmann)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julietta Brandt	...	(as Julie Brandt)

Storyline

Dr. Mabuse and his organization of criminals are in the process of completing their latest scheme, a theft of information that will allow Mabuse to make huge profits on the stock exchange. Afterwards, Mabuse disguises himself and attends the Folies Bergères show, where Cara Carozza, the main attraction of the show, passes him information on Mabuse's next intended victim, the young millionaire Edgar Hull. Mabuse then uses psychic manipulation to lure Hull into a card game where he loses heavily. When Police Commissioner von Wenk begins an investigation of this mysterious crime spree, he has little to go on, and he needs to find someone who can help him.

---

Plot Keywords:

criminal underworld | master of disguise | mind control | doctor mabuse | counterfeit money | 

---

Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

30 September 1922 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler

Filming Locations:

Berliner Union-Film, Oberlandstraße 26-35, Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Uco-Film GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

297 min (restored) 100 min (part 2) 95 min (part 1) 114 min (part 2) 154 min (part 1) 231 min (video) 271 min (Murnau Foundation restoration)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Edgar Hull's gambling losses (170,000 marks) would be worth widely varying amounts in dollars depending on what time of year the game was played, thanks to very high rates of inflation of the mark against the dollar in 1922. In January, marks were approximately 200:1, making his loss about $850, or more than $12,000 today. In December, however, with marks worth only 8000:1, his loss would have been a mere $20, or about $300 today (2019).

---

Goofs

When Mabuse abducts Dusy Told and places her in his car and departs, wires pulling the car forward can be seen.

---

Quotes

Edgar Hull: [after a night of cards playing "Mr. Balling"- the mind-controlling Dr. Mabuse in disguise] I've lost again. Until tomorrow afternoon, you'll have to make do with 20,000 marks and a promissory note of 150,000 marks.

---

Alternate Versions

The U.S. release through Janus Films divides this into two separate films: "Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler" (at 120 minutes) and "Dr. Mabuse, King of Crime" (at 93 minutes).

---

Connections

Featured in Das Erbe der Nibelungen (2011)

User Reviews

Not only for students of German Cinema!

In this review I refer to the Transit Film DVD edition from the F W Murnau Foundation (or Stiftung, if you understand German!). This 2 DVD set is an excellent restoration of this(these?) movie(s). At three and a half hours, some may argue that it is a little daunting for the uninitiated silent film viewer, but in my humble opinion it is so well made (by Fritz Lang) that it still stands up today as a masterpiece of "gangster cinema". Shot between November 1921 and March 1922, the film was made only a couple of years after Lang's directorial debut (Halblutt - 1919), and five years before Metropolis - perhaps Lang's masterpiece. It can be argued that it represents the start of a 'series' of gangster/crime related movies by Lang, and parallels can be drawn to Spione (Spies) of 1927/28, and M (1931 - Lang's first talkie), and of course, The Testament of Dr Mabuse (1932/33). There was also a final addition from 1960, The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse, but that is obviously of a different era. It is interesting to observe that Lang/von Harbou clearly were attempting to create a screen detective character something like Sherlock Holmes in the form of Commissioner Lohmann, (superbly played by Otto Wernicke) for it is he who is the detective in both M and Testament. However, I digress. Where both M and Testament concern themselves with the work of the police in an almost documentary fashion (especially M), Der Spieler is almost exclusively concerned with the working of the criminal mind. Mabuse is played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge, one of Lang's favourites - though one wonders what Klein-Rogge made of Lang - Thea von Harbou, the screen-writer, married Lang in 1921, after divorcing Klein-Rogge! He gives a masterful performance as Mabuse, and dominates the film. Even when not on the screen, his omnipotence pervades the entire proceedings. Whilst I wouldn't go so far as to describe the picture as 'gripping', it still has the power to hold the attention for most of its mighty three and a half hours. For me, at least, this is aided in no small measure by the magnificent new soundtrack by Aljocha Zimmermann, whose use of leitmotif (in true Teutonic style) adds immeasurably to the overall enjoyment of the film. I strongly recommend this picture, not only to serious students of German Silent Cinema (they'll have seen it anyway!) but to anybody who enjoys a good gangster/crime story. If you have a hang-up about silent movies, then in all honesty this isn't going to change your mind - but give it a try. I think its worth the effort in the end. Trivia: Although made in Berlin, and the numerous vehicles all drive on the right as one would expect, they are without exception, all right hand drive!