The Golem (1920)

 Paul Wegener & Carl Boese's "The Golem"


In this German Expressionist work, writer/director Paul Wegener brings to life "The Golem," the clay figure from Jewish folklore. Wegener was inspired to create this film after learning about the legend in Prague while filming his 1913 film, "The Studen Price on Prague." He made a version of the Golem story in 1915 but was largely dissatisfied with the result due to compromises during production. However, when he reworked the film in 1920, it became a major success, unlike its predecessor.  According to Mia Spiro, who wrote "Containing the Monster: The Golem in Expressionist Film and Theatre," the film "sold out the Berlin Premiere at UFA-Palast am Zoo on October 29, 1920, and played to full theaters for two months straight." It also had a successful run in the United States, where it played to packed houses at New York City's Criterion Theater for 16 consecutive weeks. 

The film tells the story of the persecution of Jews in 16th-century Prague. One day, a rabbi creates a clay figure and uses magic to bring the creature to life, intending for it to proect the Jewish community. The Golem comes to life and saves the Emperor and his people from a collapsing building. In gratitude, the Emperor pardons the Jews. However, the Golem soon turns on its creator and sets fire to the rabbi's home. The fire spreads, forcing the rabbi to cast a spell to release the Golem. 

Famed film critic Leonard Maltin cites "The Golem" as a precursor to the 1931 film "Frankenstein," believing the latter draws visual inspiration from the former. After all, "The Golem"was a landmark horror film that explored the dangers of creating life and the unforseen consequences of scientific advancement. In this case, however, the "scientific" elements are replaced with "mystical" ones. During the 1920s, many scientific advancements were being made in the study of the human body. Some believed that tampering with the physical makeup of the human body and its connective consiousness could result in dangerous consequences. It is possible that Wegener used "The Golem" not just as a legend from Jewish history, but as a critique of the Jewish community's involvement in tellectual and scientific progress.  After all, once the Nazis rose to power in Germany, Wegener participated in propoganda films. It is the intuition of this viewer that "The Golem" could be seen as a critique of the Jewish community's propensity for scientific and intellectual advancement. Through this lens, the film could be interpreted as a anti-Semetic propoganda. However, this interpretation is not widely supported by the film historian community, many of whom view the film as a playful rendering of a well-known Jewish story.



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