Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam (1920)
Directed by Carl Boese, Paul Wegener

Film Review

One of the earliest and most influential horror films in cinema history, The Golem is a bewildering mix of Jewish mysticism, European romanticism and German expressionism. It contains all the ingredients of the classic horror film, with a few very peculiar comic asides.  The film was directed by Paul Wegener, a stage actor of some repute who became fascinated by the art of filmmaking in the 1910s, the decade in which artistic experimentation and commercial exploitation were equally potent forces in the development of the new medium.  Having collaborated on Der Student von Prag (1913), Wegener directed a no less influential early horror film, Der Golem (1914), inspired by a Jewish legend he had learnt about whilst in Prague.  The success of this film led Wegener to make a spoof sequel, Der Golem und die Tanzerin in 1917.  In both films, Wegener played the part of the Golem himself - a decision that was justified by the director's physique (he was six foot six in height) and forceful personality.  Wegener  reprised the role in his 1920 film, The Golem (aka: Der Golem, wie er in die Welt kam), in which he tells the story of the Golem's origins.  This is the only one of Wegener's three Golem films which survives in its entirety and is widely considered to be one of Wegener's best films as a director.

The Golem was released in the same year as Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari, another fantasy-horror film which drew its artistic vision from German expressionism in other media (painting, theatre and literature).  Although both films conform to the classic horror form (a misshapen monstrosity breaks free of his master's influence and ends up terrorising a small community), they are stylistically very different films.  The explicit, indeed exaggerated, expressionist motifs in Caligari are less apparent in the Golem film, although both films use disturbingly angular sets and atmospheric lighting to great effect.  It is true to say that whilst Wegener was influenced by expressionism, he was not as committed to it as some of his contemporaries.  This allowed him greater freedom to try out other techniques and experiment with special effects, the result being a film which, although somewhat lacking in artistic coherence, is visually stunning.

Wegener was fortunate to have as his photography director Karl Freund, who would later work in America on some of Universal's classic horror films, notably Dracula (1931) as cinematographer and The Mummy (1932) as director.  For the script, Paul Wegener collaborated with Henrik Galeen who famously worked on F.W. Murnau's Nosferatu (1922), another landmark horror film.

Nowadays, it is easy to ridicule Wegener's portrayal of the Golem - a clod-hopping stony-faced giant in platform shoes and a lampshade wig.  The sequence where the creature goes off to do some shopping, a basket poised comically on its arm, is both farcical and full of pathos.  Wegener conveys the power of an unthinking monster, through its physique and shows of strength, but also reveals the inner tragedy of a creature that has been manipulated and abused by man.  Like the stone monster itself, the film is a plodding, clumsy affair from the point of view of its narrative, but it manages to tell its story with poignancy and great human feeling.  Wegener's portrayal of the Golem directly influenced James Whale when he came to direct Frankenstein (1931), a film which bears more than a passing resemblance to Wegener's Golem film.

Much has been read into this film by academics, film historians and critics.  The way in which Jews are portrayed in the film has been described as caricaturised and the film itself as anti-Semitic.  These ideas probably had less to do with the film itself and more to do with Wegener's subsequent career, which saw him work on Nazi propaganda films during the Second World War.  It is hard to find any overt anti-Semitic statements in The Golem.  If anything, the Jewish people in this film are treated with sympathy and respect, contrary to many films of this period (which were influenced by the popular anti-Jewish sentiment).  It is doubtful whether Wegener had any political messages in mind whilst making this film, although it is possible to see the Golem as a symbolic representation of a humiliated Germany after World War I.  More likely, Wegener intended this purely as a piece of escapist fantasy which would enable him to explore the art of filmmaking and try out new techniques.  Consequently, The Golem may lack the intellectual weight of other German films of the period, but it nonetheless stands as a groundbreaking piece of cinema and a compelling piece of expressionist art.

Film Synopsis

16th century Prague.  Whilst studying the stars through his telescope, the aged Rabbi Loew foresees a troubled time ahead for his people.  Sure enough, the Emperor Luhois issues a decree expelling all Jews from their ghetto.  To save his people, the Rabbi summons up the demon Astaroth to bring to life a clay statue he has constructed.  When invited to the Emperor's palace to put on a display of magic at a party, Rabbi Loew takes his creation, the Golem, with him.  The Rabbi conjures up images of his Jews' eventful past but when his spectators laugh in amusement the palace begins to topple down.  The Golem saves the Emperor and his guests by supporting the collapsing roof.  The Emperor shows his gratitude by rescinding his decree and allowing the Jews to stay in the town.  The Golem's work done, the Rabbi removes the magic amulet that brought it to life and joins the Jews in their celebrations.  In the Rabbi's absence, his assistant, Famulus, reanimates the Golem to take his revenge on his rival, Florian, the Emperor's messenger.  Both men are in love with Miriam, the Rabbi's daughter.  Having killed Florian, the Golem goes on the rampage in the streets of Prague.  It ends up in a walled garden in which young children are playing.  A little girl snatches the amulet from the creature and it collapses, an inanimate block of stone.