Review – The Golem (1914)

Here’s an odd horror movie from the silent era in Germany. To be sure, in many ways this picture is inaccessible to modern audiences. Along with all the usual problems of silent movies, in this effort the cards are few and far between. As a result, some of the action is hard to follow. The situation isn’t helped any by the use of unfamiliar dramatic conventions. For example, when the character of Knight Florian is first introduced, 21st century viewers are likely to swiftly conclude that the guy doesn’t exactly fancy the ladies. Yet he almost immediately falls in love with the rabbi’s daughter. And speaking of the rabbi: like The Merchant of Venice, this show has an uneasy relationship with its Jewish characters. On the one hand, the Jewish people of the ghetto are portrayed as the innocent victims of the whims of the local monarch. But on the other hand, the wisest of the rabbis is also a wizard who conjures an evil spirit in order to gain the power to bring the Golem to life. But if one can manage not to be too put off by the off-putting elements, there are some good bits here as well. Movie buffs will recognize the seeds of several better-known projects – “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” and Frankenstein, to name just two – planted on screen for the first time. And above all, the story, sets and acting work well in a silent movie sort of way. Mildly amusing