''Desire'' (german: Sehnsucht) is a 1921
silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...
directed by
F. W. Murnau
Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau (born Friedrich Wilhelm Plumpe; December 28, 1888March 11, 1931) was a German film director, producer and screenwriter.
He was greatly influenced by Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Shakespeare and Ibsen plays he had seen at th ...
and starring
Conrad Veidt
Hans Walter Conrad Veidt (; 22 January 1893 – 3 April 1943) was a German film actor who attracted early attention for his roles in the films ''Different from the Others'' (1919), '' The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920), and '' The Man Who Laug ...
. It tells the story of a male dancer who falls in love with a grand duchess, only to be arrested, and his subsequent attempt to find the duchess.
, it is believed to be a
lost film
A lost film is a feature
Feature may refer to:
Computing
* Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch
* Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob
* Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...
as no prints are known to exist.
Robert Neppach
Robert Neppach (2 March 1890 – 18 August 1939) was an Austrian architect, film producer and art director. Neppach worked from 1919 in the Cinema of Germany, German film industry. He oversaw the art direction of over 80 films during his career, i ...
worked as the film's
art director.
Plot
A young student from Russia (Conrad Veidt) is studying (art or dancing, records of the film are unclear) in
Geneva
, neighboring_municipalities= Carouge, Chêne-Bougeries, Cologny, Lancy, Grand-Saconnex, Pregny-Chambésy, Vernier, Veyrier
, website = https://www.geneve.ch/
Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevr ...
,
Switzerland. He wants to go home for a visit, but has no funds. A group of
Nihilists need someone to go to Russia for some plot (that plot is not clear, as the film has been lost). The student allows himself to be recruited as their agent, and he goes to Russia.
In Russia, the student meets a young, beautiful Grand Duchess (Gussy Holl), and they fall in love. The student attempts to complete his plot, but is arrested. After some time in prison, he escapes and begins searching for his lost lover. After some time, he discovers she died while he was in prison.
Cast
See also
*
List of lost films
References
External links
*
''Sehnsucht'' at SilentEra
1921 films
Films of the Weimar Republic
German silent feature films
Lost German films
Films directed by F. W. Murnau
German black-and-white films
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