"Metropolis" Summary

Many of today's films of rebellion, especially those concerned with large-scale societal upheaval, can be attributed to the legacy of Fritz Lang's 1927 silent science fiction production, Metropolis. The German classic, set in 2026, examines the social crisis between the lower class and the upper class, or as Lang defines it, the workers and the thinkers. The thinkers live in luxury, in levels of the Metropolis high above the earth, while the workers, burdened with the duty of manually keeping the city alive, live in a level far underground. In this essay I will explore the film's characters and their acts of rebellion.

The film introduces us to a host of main characters: Joh Fredersen, an aristocrat who runs the city; his adult son Freder; Maria, a blatant rebel who desires to bridge the gap between the lower and upper classes; Rotwang, a scientist and philosopher, the intelligence behind Joh's conquests; and Grot, the foreman of the workers.

At the story's beginning, Maria brings a group of children from the worker's level up to the thinker's level so that they can “see their brothers.” She has a strong, intellectual presence, and, right from the beginning, it is obvious that she will be the rebellious force that, if possible, will end the capitalistic restraints on the world they live in. She's a most interesting character, as well, because until her appearance, no women are shown in the film. During the 10-hour work day, the men take elevators from their level to a level above theirs, but still underground, where the city's machines are housed. The women stay below with the children. Therefore, Maria's initial trip to the upper city with the children is an act of rebellion in itself.

Freder, the meek and mild son of Joh, is instantly intrigued by Maria, not only by her beauty and stunningly strong appearance, but by her interest with the upper world. After following her down to the worker's level, Freder learns, for the first time, the agonizing duty the workers have with running the machines. Until then, he had been protected and kept from traveling underground. At several points in the movie, Freder actually steps in to relieve a suffering worker of his duties. He's sensitive and pampered, yet with a kind heart and desire for equality that immediately tells him that this societal set-up is not right. Disgusted by what he sees, Freder runs to his father, questioning his reasoning for employing men to take on such toiling duties. “It was their hands that built this city of ours, Father. But where do the hands belong in your scheme?” It's obvious, at this point, that Freder aims to help Maria in her efforts to end the workers' struggle and to strive for equality among both classes.

As the story proceeds, Joh discovers plans scribbled on paper that insinuate that the workers are planning to revolt. Maria, the leader of this revolution, begins holding meetings in the catacombs, the lowest levels of the city, telling the workers that their quality of life is unbearable and encouraging them to do something about it. At one such meeting, she recites to the workers the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, found in the Book of Genesis. In this story, a few men created plans for a beautiful, impenetrable tower, but they had no skill to build it, so they hired hundreds of workers to put the plan in action. But the creators had no concern for the workers, and soon, “The hymns of praise of the few became the curses of the many.” The workers rebelled against the creators, tearing apart and overthrowing the tower. The story is an inevitable omen foreshadowing the rebellious nature the city's workers would soon take on.

But while Maria wants the workers to understand the unfairness of their situation, she chooses to take a latent approach to victory. She does not encourage the workers to rebel violently; instead, she tells them to wait patiently, and that someone will come who will help unite the upper and lower classes. “Between the mind that plans and the hands that build there must be a Mediator, and this must be the heart,” she tells them. It is then apparent that Freder, the unlikely rebel, is the bridge Maria has been looking for.

When Rotwang, the mad scientist, creates a machine man that “never tires or fails,” Joh decides he has no more reason to rely on humans to run the city. Joh tells Rotwang to make the robot in the image of Maria, so that it can go to the workers and “undo Maria's teachings and stir them up to criminal acts.” Joh begins to exhibit his desire for the workers to kill themselves off. He doesn't care what they destroy or if they rebel at all. His main goal is to rid his world of them, and to put robots in their place.

Later, Rotwang captures the real Maria, and the robot goes to the workers in her place. This faux Maria has a sly smile and even appears evil. But the workers, who are easily impressionable, accept her as the true leader of their revolution. “I have preached patience but your mediator has not come and will never come!” she tells them. She insists that they immediately travel upwards to destroy the “Heart Machine,” the city's power station. The workers, joined by their wives, do so. Not one man or woman remained behind, however, all of their children did. Little did they realize, the destruction of the machines caused a flood in the lower levels, and all of their children likely perished. It is Grot, the foreman, who informs the workers of their mistake. “Who told you to destroy the machines, and thus, your lives?” he asks them.

When Rotwang tells Maria of this deception, she is crushed, knowing that the workers took the robot Maria's word as her own. She uses this outrage and anger to escape from the scientist, joining up with Freder to save the children who were left behind.

As the workers realize their error, mob psychology breaks out and their outrage is reverted to Maria, whom they hold responsible for inciting them to rebel in the first place. They track her down (remember that this is actually the robot) and prepare to burn her at the stake. As she burns, it is exposed that she is really a robot. All hell breaks loose and the workers are even further outraged.

In all of the madness, Joh breaks down, fearing that his son has been killed. It is the first time we see real humanity in him. Towards the film's end, Freder, in a heroic effort to save the real Maria, shoves Rotwang off a roof, killing him. It is poetic to see Joh, typically barbaric and uncaring, distraught, worrying for his son and wishing for his well-being, and to see Freder, typically sensitive and loving, fighting to the death for Maria and her cause. When Joh realizes Freder is alive and well, he appears to succumb to the idea of equality amongst the classes, if for nothing more than to please his son.

The final scene shows the foreman Grot and Joh Frederson standing face-to-face. Freder, the newfound mediator, steps between them, uniting their hands to shake. Alas, the mind that plans, represented by Joh, and the hands that build, represented by Grot, are united by the heart, the unlikely rebel Freder.

Maria encouraged rebellion through cooperation, with a non-violent approach that attempts to bring about equality through intelligence and patience. It seems to me that this type of rebel is the most effective. Freder rebelled against his own father, taking the same humanistic approach as Maria, trying to convince Joh that his opinions were unfair and unacceptable. It's ironic that Joh's breakdown occurred through his heart, when his love for his son, the “heart” of the story, became greater than his lack of concern for the workers.

Metropolis speaks volumes about society yesterday, today and tomorrow. It comforts me to know that the world I live in isn't the only one that has felt oppression and inequality. It also comforts me to know that the cycle of rebellion in such situations is inevitable, and that no superpower can continue forever. I'm grateful for the rebels in our society who do their best keep everyone on an even playing field.