Shawn Hall Few films have shaped cinema quite like Metropolis. Despite missing over 30 minutes of footage for nearly a century, it became one of the most influential films ever made.
The film was voted #2 on Silent Era’s Top 100 Silent Movies List, which I’m running a weekly series reviewing each movie on the list, and sharing if I agree with its ranking.
Metropolis’ cityscape still influences the look of sci-fi films today
The film centers on Freider, the privileged son of a powerful industrialist in a futuristic city. When he meets and falls for Maria, a working-class woman, Freider is thrust into a harsh reality far removed from his upper-class comfort. Experiencing the brutal conditions of the workers, he becomes entangled in a struggle between his father, John Freidersen, and the oppressed class that live below the city.
Freider ultimately seeks to fulfill a prophecy by becoming the mediator who can unite the upper and lower classes and help bring about a new utopia. It’s a simple yet effective narrative that weaves in plenty of ancient and Biblical symbolism into its tale of class warfare.
From a life in paradise to living among the abused working class.
Upon its release, Metropolis received a wide range of critical responses. While its groundbreaking special effects and imaginative sci-fi design were universally praised, the story didn’t impress everyone. Some critics thought it leaned too heavily into sentimentality and moral platitudes.
One particularly scathing critique came from The War of the Worlds author H.G. Wells, who called it “one of the silliest films” he had ever seen. He criticized it for being full of clichés and confused ideas about technological progress, delivered with an overly sentimental flair. While I do agree with some critics of the film that the solution at the film’s finale is naive and unrealistic, I still think Metropolis‘ conclusion works when you take into account the overarching symbolism and universal conflict between ‘the heart and the hand’ of society.
Adding to the confusion, the original German cut ran for two and a half hours, but international versions were trimmed down to under two hours. These cuts removed key character development which weakened the film’s emotional and thematic impact.
The largest casualty of the new international version was the character of Hel, Frederich’s mother who died in childbirth. Once in love with Hel, the mad scientist is distraught when . This backstory fuels the rivalry between him and Frederich’s father, giving a more compelling motivation to create his robot in the image of his love. Apparently the editors didn’t feel these motivations were too important as they apparently removed any mention of Hel in title cards because of the name’s close association with the forbidden word “hell” in English,
The mad scientist with Maria
Fortunately, film archivists in Argentina discovered a complete 16mm print decades later. Restoration teams used it to reassemble a near-complete version of Metropolis, bringing the film much closer to director Fritz Lang’s original vision. Today, we can see the film almost as it was first screened in 1927.
Regardless of which version you watch, Metropolis remains a visual marvel. Lang combined meticulously detailed miniatures with massive sets and a cast of hundreds to bring his futuristic world to life. The result is an immersive and believable dystopian landscape that continues to astonish modern audiences.
The film’s visual influence is still felt today. The design of C-3PO in Star Wars was clearly inspired by Metropolis, and Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner owes a clear debt to Lang’s depiction of a futuristic city.
Check out my video review of Metropolis, complete with footage from the film.
Metropolis deserves its status as one of the greatest science fiction films ever made. Its ambition, innovation, and lasting influence make it an essential watch for film lovers and sci-fi fans alike.
Next week I’ll be reviewing No. 98 on the list Lon Chaney’s 1920 film The Penalty. If you’re enjoying this series, follow along for more reviews of the greatest silent movies ever made.
I greatly appreciated your post on Metropolis, Shawn — I’ve never seen it, but it’s on my watchlist. And I’m glad you included your video — I did not know you were on TikTok and am headed over there now to give you a follow!
Thanks! It’s one of those films that gets a lot of hype but is absolutely deserving of it.
And yeah I’m not the greatest at cross-promoting all my platforms but working on it haha.