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Devil's Bargain: Murnau's Faust Celebrates Centennial
15 Oct
Summary
- FW Murnau's 1926 silent fantasy-melodrama Faust is celebrating its centenary.
- The film depicts a man redeemed by love, differing from Marlowe's version.
- Gösta Ekman stars as Faust, Emil Jannings as the devilish Mephisto.
FW Murnau's 1926 silent fantasy-melodrama, Faust, a renowned work of German expressionism, is being celebrated this year for its centenary. This cinematic retelling of Goethe's tragic tale explores a philosopher's pact with the devil. Unlike other versions, Murnau's Faust offers a redemption arc centered on the power of love, depicted through a climactic vision of celestial circles.
The film captures the chaotic energy and satire of Weimar Germany. It features Gösta Ekman as an aged Faust, reminiscent of an Old Testament prophet, and Emil Jannings as the mischievous Mephisto. Jannings, who later won the first Best Actor Oscar, plays the devil in a celestial wager to corrupt Faust.
Mephisto offers Faust worldly pleasures, including an encounter with the Duchess of Parma. However, Faust's true desire is to regain his youth and return to his village, where he falls for the innocent Gretchen. This leads to tragedy, with Gretchen facing execution and Faust implicated in death and murder.
The film is noted for its ambitious scale, impressive model work for landscapes, and evocative imagery. A particularly striking visual is Mephisto depicted as a vast, brooding evil angel casting a shadow over the city.
