Metropolis (1927 film)

Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist epic sciencefiction drama film directed by Fritz Lang. Lang and his wife, Thea von Harbou, wrote the silent film, which starred Brigitte Helm, Gustav Frhlich, Alfred Abel and Rudolf KleinRogge. Erich Pommer produced it in the Babelsberg Studios for Universum Film A.G.. It is regarded as a pioneering work of the sciencefiction genre in movies, being among the first featurelength movies of the genre.

In the future of 2026, wealthy industrialists rule the vast city of Metropolis from highrise tower complexes, while a lower class of undergrounddwelling workers toil constantly to operate the machines that provide its power. Joh Fredersen is the citys master. Johs son Freder idles away his time in a pleasure garden with other rich children. Freder is interrupted by the arrival of a young woman named Maria, who has brought a group of workers children to witness the lifestyle led by the rich. Maria and the children are quickly ushered away, but Freder is fascinated by Maria and goes to the workers portion of the city to find her.Freder finds himself in the machine rooms and watches in horror as a huge machine explodes, causing several injuries and deaths, after one of its operators collapses from exhaustion. Freder runs to tell his father. Grot Heinrich George, one of the foremen, arrives soon afterward to deliver maps found on the bodies of the dead workers. Angry that his assistant Josaphat has failed to be the first to bring him news of either the explosion or the maps, Fredersen fires him. Knowing that he can only go into the depths and become a worker, Josaphat attempts suicide but is stopped by Freder. Concerned by Freders unusual behaviour, Fredersen dispatches the Thin Man to keep track of his movements. ........

Source: Wikipedia