Watch The Murderers Are Among Us

The Murderers Are Among Us is a 1946 German film directed by Wolfgang Staudte, and stars Hildegard Knef, Elly Burgmer, and Erna Sellmer. The movie takes place in Berlin after World War II, where the city is in ruins and the people are struggling to rebuild their lives. The story centers around two characters: Susanne Wallner, a concentration camp survivor who is traumatized by her experiences, and Dr. Hans Mertens, a former German army surgeon who has just returned from a Russian prisoner of war camp.

The film starts with Susanne arriving in Berlin and discovering that her apartment has been taken over by Hans, who has been using it as his medical practice. Despite the awkward and tense situation, the two characters soon find themselves becoming friends. Susanne is particularly drawn to Hans, who shares her feelings of hopelessness and despair in the aftermath of the war. The two bond over their shared experiences, and it is clear that they both hold deep emotional scars from the war.

As the story progresses, we learn that Hans has been haunted by memories of his service during the war. He is particularly tortured by the fact that he turned a blind eye to the horrors that were taking place in the concentration camps. When Hans sees one of the guards responsible for the atrocities walking free on the street, he becomes consumed by an overwhelming desire for justice. Susanne, who has been trying to push past the traumas of her own experiences in the camps, encourages him to confront his demons and take action.

The film ultimately becomes a story about redemption as Hans decides to take matters into his own hands and locate the person responsible for his internal turmoil. He and Susanne begin to investigate the whereabouts of one of the former commanders of the concentration camp where Susanne was held. In doing so, they face dangerous obstacles and unexpected revelations about the people around them. They must confront the horrors of the past in order to move forward and rebuild their country, and they do so with great bravery and determination.

Throughout the film, the city of Berlin is portrayed as a bleak and depressing place, with bombed-out buildings and scavengers searching through the rubble. The cinematography is stark and realistic, with the camera often lingering on long shots of the city's destruction. However, there are moments of hope and beauty in the film as well, particularly in scenes between Hans and Susanne.

The performances in The Murderers Are Among Us are exceptional, particularly those of Knef and Burgmer. Knef, who was making her film debut, perfectly captures the confusion and pain of her character. Burgmer, on the other hand, provides a striking contrast as a composer who is determined to look toward the future and create beauty out of the devastation.

In addition to its themes of redemption and justice, The Murderers Are Among Us is also significant for being the first German film made after World War II. It was a groundbreaking work that confronted the atrocities committed by the Nazis and called for a collective effort to rebuild Germany. It was also a film that was very much of its time, capturing the mood of despair and uncertainty that many Germans were feeling in the years immediately following the war.

Overall, The Murderers Are Among Us is a powerful and thought-provoking film that confronts some of the darkest moments in human history. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and a call to action for peace and justice in the wake of war.

The Murderers Are Among Us is a 1948 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 25 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.4.