The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse

Fritz Lang, Germany, 1933

121 mins

8.6 / 10 (2130)

Crime Mystery Thriller

Synopsis

Locked away in an asylum and teetering between life and death, the criminal mastermind Dr. Mabuse has scribbled his last will and testament: a manifesto establishing a future empire of crime. When his writings start to come true, it’s up to Berlin’s star detective to connect the maddening clues…

MUBI's take

Banned by Goebbels for being a “menace” to public health and safety, Fritz Lang’s suspenseful drama is rooted in the ravings of a madman. Some see in the figure of Dr. Mabuse the shadows of Hitler, whose power was on the rise. A stark and thrilling masterpiece foreshadowing darker times for Germany.