El testament del Dr.. Mabuse (1933)

Director Fritz Lang va utilitzar les formes geomètriques i línies abstretes de la mateixa en-escena per crear un significat en la seva pel · lícula antinazi El testament del Dr. Mabuse (Das Testament Des Dr. Mabuse, 1933). I analyzed four shots from the film to illustrate their composition.

En el primer tir, Hofmeister, portrayed by Karl Meixner, telephones Commissioner Lohmann, portrayed by Otto Wernicke. Lohmann’s assistant Muller, portrayed by Claus Pohl, answers the telephone. Lohmann refuses to speak with Hofmeister and directs Muller to hang up on him. En Lloc, Muller tells Hofmeister that Lohmann has left, which prompts Lohmann to snatch the phone away from Muller. Lohman tells Hofmeister to go to the blazes, while glowering at Muller, who has backed towards the window.

Lang’s composition is on the vertical in this shot due to his use of a window to frame the scene. Lang centers the window in the middle of the frame, which creates negative space on either side of it. Lang directs Muller to remain between the vertical lines of the window. When Lohmann enters the shot, Muller backs into the window, while staying within the vertical lines. Lohmann takes a position between the vertical lines of the window as well. The vertical lines emphasize the height difference between Lohmann and Muller, which clues the viewer to the disparity in power of the two characters. Lang begins to build the image of Lohmann as a formidable presence in this early scene. Lohmann intimidates friends and enemies alike.

In the second shot, Thomas Kent, portrayed by Gustav Diessl, is speaking with another operative, uncredited, about a meeting with Dr. Mabuse. Kent sits on a stool, while the operative speaks with him about the meeting. Kent rises from the stool and paces the office showing his trepidation at attending the meeting. During his last meeting with Kent, Dr. Mabuse made it clear that he expects Kent to kill upon Dr. Mabuse’s orders. Kent killed his wife and best friend in the past, which makes him reluctant to kill again.

Lang creates composition on the diagonal using the set and camera angle. The camera investigates the brick room from a door centered in the frame. Windows are on either side of the door frame. The set designer slanted the top of the facade wall to create a diagonal effect. He designed the facade in this manner because The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is a German Expressionist film. “German Expressionism depends heavily on mis-en-scene. Shapes are distorted and exaggerated unrealistically for expressive purposes.” (Bordwell, 407) The set design clues the viewer to important development in the story.

During this shot, the unnamed operative stays within the frame of the doorway. He lectures Kent about the dangers of trying to resist Dr. Mabuse, portrayed by Rudolf Klein-Rogge. In the beginning of the shot, Kent is sitting within the frame of the doorway also. When the operative relays information concerning section groups attending the meeting, Kent rises from the chair. Kent moves to the window frame on the left of the door frame and will also move into the window frame on the right side. Kent’s actions clue the viewer to his growing separation from the activities and views of Mabuse’s organization.

In the third shot, Mabuse dies in Baum’s asylum. Baum, portrayed by Oscar Beregi Sr., shows the body to Commissioner Lohmann. Lohmann traveled to the asylum because he believed Mabuse may have been directing his criminal empire again. Lang films the scene using an eye-level shot. Lang uses subtle changes in character position to change the composition’s triangulation.

Inicialment, Lang films Mabuse lying on a gurney. Baum and Lohmann stand on either side of the gurney around the waist area of Mabuse. Baum and Lohmann look at Mabuse in the beginning of the shot. Lang positions Mabuse in the center of the frame allowing his character momentarily to have the position of dominance. Mabuse’s influence affects both Baum and Lohmann. In a hypnotic state, Baum directs Mabuse’s criminal operation. Lohmann desires to destroy this operation. Using costuming and character movement, Lohmann takes the dominant position from Mabuse.

Lang dresses Lohmann in dark clothing, while Baum and Mabuse wear light clothing. Lohmann turns towards the camera, removes a cigar case from his pocket and continues questioning Baum about Mabuse. Baum and Mabuse now recede slightly into the background making Lohmann stand out. Lang directs Lohmann to try cigars before settling on one. This technique keeps your attention on Lohmann and his actions. Lang clues the viewer that Lohmann sees a connection between Baum and Mabuse.

In the final shot, Lohmann questions an operative from Dr. Mabuse’s criminal organization. The criminal answers questions, while Lohmann walks around his office. Lohmann appears disinterested in the interrogation by Muller. Lohmann switches on a light for his city map and stands in front of it. The light illuminates the map with a circular light. Langs creates a circular composition emphasizing Lohmann’s roundness. Lang emphasizes his roundness for three reasons.

Primer, Lohmann’s physique is more rotund than muscular, but the criminals truly fear him. The criminals fear his intelligence not his brawn. Segon, Lang rightly believed the Nazi Party was a threat to the world. The circular light creates a miniature world on the map to illuminate the future danger facing modern civilization. Finalment, Lang centers Lohmann in the light to clue the viewer that Lohmann will catch Dr. Baum soon.

American audiences struggled to understand The Testament of Dr. Mabuse due to its German Expressionist style, the need to read subtitles, which can distract from important visual clues, and the unusual climax. German audiences would have less trouble because of their familiarity with the Nazi Party but the film was banned in Germany until after 1945. Lang made the following statement about why the film was banned. “I put all the Nazi slogans into the mouth of the ghost of the criminal…’The belief of the normal citizen in the powers he has chosen must be destroyed. And when everything is destroyed-to this we will build the realm of crime.’ Which is exactly what the Nazis said.” (Bogdanovich, 180) Thea von Harbou, Lang’s wife, divorced him and joined the Nazi Party shortly after Lang left Germany. El testament del Dr.. Mabuse is a crime film and so much more.

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