Journey into the Night (German: Der Gang in die Nacht) is a 1921 silent German drama film directed by F. W. Murnau.[1] Prints of the film still survive, thus making it the earliest surviving F. W. Murnau film.[2]
| Journey into the Night | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | F. W. Murnau |
| Written by | Harriet Bloch Carl Mayer |
| Produced by | Sascha Goron |
| Starring | Olaf Fønss |
| Cinematography | Max Lutze |
Release date |
|
Running time | 69 minutes |
| Country | Weimar Republic |
| Languages | Silent German intertitles |
Plot
editAn upright, straight-laced physician, Dr. Eigil Börne (Olaf Fønss), has long been engaged to Hélène (Erna Morena). To celebrate Hélène's birthday, the couple goes to a cabaret. A dancer, Lily (Gudrun Bruun-Stefenssen), is fascinated by the doctor and pretends to sprain her ankle. Börne attends her, and she seduces him. Börne becomes infatuated, breaks his engagement to Hélène, and marries Lily.
The Börnes move to the country, where they meet a blind painter (Conrad Veidt). Dr. Börne restores his sight. Dr. Börne learns that Hélène's health is failing, as she is heartbroken over her broken engagement. He tries to see her, but is turned away. When he returns home, Dr. Börne discovers Lily is having an affair with the painter and abandons her.
Years later, Lily seeks out Dr. Börne. The painter has gone blind again, and she pleads with him to operate once more. Dr. Börne refuses. Lily, he says, is incapable of true love and doesn't really love the painter. At any rate, he would not operate unless Lily left the painter. Lily runs off. A short time later, Dr. Börne goes to see Lily and discovers she has poisoned herself so that Börne will operate on her lover. The painter declines treatment. Börne commits suicide as well, preferring to live in darkness rather than without Lily.[3]
Cast
edit- Olaf Fønss as Dr. Eigil Börne
- Erna Morena as Hélène
- Conrad Veidt as Der Maler (The Painter)
- Gudrun Bruun-Stefenssen as Lily
References
edit- ^ "Der Gang in die Nacht". Film Portal (in German). Retrieved 12 December 2016.
- ^ "Progressive Silent Film L ist: Journey Into the Night". Silent Era. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
- ^ Eisner, Lotte H. (1973). Murnau. Berkeley, Calif.: University of California Press. pp. 89–90. ISBN 9780520022850.
External links
edit- Der Gang in die Nacht (Journey Into Night) (1921) on YouTube
- Journey into the Night at IMDb
- Der GANG IN DIE NACHT (1921) at the British Film Institute[better source needed]
- Der Gang in die Nacht (1921) at AllMovie
- Murnau before NOSFERATU, Retrieved 5 November 2018 – via Observations on Film Art
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