Watch The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse, a German thriller film from 1933, is directed by the legendary Fritz Lang. The movie is a sequel to Lang's earlier film Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, which was released in 1922. The film stars Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Dr. Mabuse, the master criminal who has been confined to an insane asylum since the end of the first film. The other stars in the movie are Otto Wernicke, as police inspector Lohmann, and Thomy Bourdelle, as the gangster Albert Wehrhahn.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is set in Berlin during the early 1930s, a period of political turbulence and economic hardship. The movie depicts a world in which the police and the criminal underworld are engaged in a constant battle for power and control. In this context, Dr. Mabuse emerges as a potent symbol of evil and chaos, a figure who is capable of manipulating both the police and the criminals for his own purposes.

The film begins with a series of bizarre crimes being committed in Berlin. The police soon realize that the crimes are being orchestrated by someone who is using the name of Dr. Mabuse. Inspector Lohmann, who was the protagonist of Lang's earlier film M, is put in charge of the case. Lohmann soon discovers that the real Dr. Mabuse has been confined to an insane asylum for the last ten years, and that someone else is using his name to carry out a series of heinous crimes.

As the investigation progresses, Lohmann becomes aware that the forces behind the crimes are far more complex than he originally thought. He discovers that a secret society of criminals is operating in the city, and that they are being guided by a mysterious figure who claims to be the new Dr. Mabuse. Meanwhile, the real Dr. Mabuse, who has been communicating with his followers from his asylum cell, is plotting his escape and planning his revenge.

One of the standout features of the film is its innovative use of sound. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse was one of the first German films to use synchronized sound, and Lang makes full use of this new technology to create a gripping and immersive audio experience. The use of sound effects, unsettling music, and distorted voice recordings all contribute to the film's atmosphere of tension and unease.

Another standout feature of the film is the performance of Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Dr. Mabuse. Klein-Rogge's portrayal of the master criminal is utterly convincing, capturing both the character's cunning intellect and his hypnotic charisma. His performance is matched by those of Otto Wernicke, who gives a strong performance as the dogged and determined Inspector Lohmann, and Thomy Bourdelle, who brings a sense of unpredictability and menace to his role as the gangster Wehrhahn.

Overall, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is a haunting and gripping thriller that showcases Fritz Lang's genius as a filmmaker. Its mix of psychological drama, political commentary, and suspenseful action sequences make it a timeless classic that continues to captivate audiences to this day.

The Testament of Dr. Mabuse is a 1933 crime movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 2 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.9.