[Quick Summary: In a divided futuristic city, the son of the city's mastermind falls for a prophetess, who predicts a savior will unite them all and is then kidnapped.]
Yes, the plot is a bit thin. However, I was surprised at well the silent images conveyed complex thoughts without dialogue ("show, not tell.")
One of the keys is that silent films take their time in the showing. Their characters actually work out the logic, whereas sound films try to skip this step with dialogue.
For example, in the scene below:
- In his lab, Rotwang (mad scientist) and Fredersen (city mastermind and Freder's dad) are unable to decipher a mysterious diagram.
- Meanwhile, in the bowels of the machine room, Freder (protagonist) helps an injured worker by taking his place (and clothes).
- Title = title card of dialogue between action scenes.
- Watch how the script presents the problem (what is this diagram?) --> takes its time to work through the problem (Freder uncovers what it means).
Rotwang looks away with a smirk as Fredersen pulls the two diagrams presented to him by Grot out of his pocket. He unfolds them and holds them out to the inventor as he says:
TITLE: 'For months now, we have been finding these plans in the workers' clothing. What do they mean?'
At the dial, Freder pulls a handkerchief from the pocket of the workers' overalls to wipe the sweat from his neck and face. A piece of paper falls out of the pocket, and as he is putting the handkerchief asway again, Freder notices it on the ground.
Freder's hand picks up the piece of paper, which has landed by his foot. He bends down to look at it - it is another of the plans.
At that moment, a maintenance worker carrying a spanner and a couple of oil cans descends a steel ladder into the machine room.
He looks off at Freder...
While Freder continues to move the pointers feverishly in response to the flashing lights, simultaneously glancing at the paper clasped in his hand.
The maintenance worker reaches the bottom of the ladder...
As Freder, still looking at the plan, shakes his head.
A closer shot as he turns back to the dial, still looking at the plan.
The maintenance worker now steps from the ladder and walks slowly off to the right.
Freder is seen from behind, still looking at the piece of paper. The maintenance worker appears on the left, looking back furtively over his shoulder.
Freder turns as he addresses him in an undertone.
TITLE: 'At two - at the end of this shift - she has called another meeting.'
With another furtive glance around him, the maintenance worker disappears. Freder is bewildered. He looks at the piece of paper in his hand again, and calls after the worker: 'What?'
Then he turns back to the dial and frenziedly starts moving the pointers again.
WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Take your time in using the image to convey the thought, the feeling. Don't rely on sound, dialogue. Cinema is moving images.
Metropolis (1927)
by Thea von Harbou
* H.G. Wells was not a fan: "The pity of it is that this unimaginative, incoherent, sentimentalizing, and make-believe film, wastes some very fine possibilities."
** Director Fritz Lang said in an interview: "Anyway, I didn’t like the picture—thought it was silly and stupid... It’s very hard to talk about pictures—should I say now that I like Metropolis because something I have seen in my imagination comes true, when I detested it after it was finished?”
However, let's keep in mind he might have been influenced by the fact that: 1) the Nazis really admired the film and offered him a job, which is why he left Germany; and 2) his wife, the writer, got swept up in the Nazi mindset and they divorced shortly thereafter.
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