''Kurfürstendamm'' is a 1920 German silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by Richard Oswald 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 ...

, Asta Nielsen, and

Erna Morena Erna Morena (born Ernestine Maria Fuchs, 24 April 1885 – 20 July 1962) was a German film actress, film producer, and screenwriter of the silent era. She appeared in 104 films between 1913 and 1951. Biography Ernestine Maria Fuchs was born in ...

.Soister p. 103 It is set on the

Kurfürstendamm The Kurfürstendamm (; colloquially ''Ku'damm'', ; en, Prince Elector Embankment) is one of the most famous avenues in Berlin. The street takes its name from the former ''Kurfürsten'' (prince-electors) of Brandenburg. The broad, long boulevar ...

in central

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and List of cities in Germany by population, largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's List of cities in the European Union by population within ci ...

. It is now considered 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 ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art director Hans Dreier. Director Oswald made this film the year after he made ''Weird Tales'' (1919), which also had starred

. Cinematographer Carl Hoffmann went on to lens ''Der Januskopf'' (1920) and ''Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler'' (1922).

Plot

Satan (Veidt) notices that a lot of souls entering Hell from

have been coming in from the city's Kurfurstendamm district. He goes there and rents an apartment, disguised as a businessman. A doctor named Li (Henry Sze) takes him on a guided tour of the neighborhood's dens of sin. After he is beaten and robbed on the street, the Devil flees back to Hell where he feels much safer.

Cast

as Satan * Asta Nielsen as Girl Lissy / Mulattin / Filmstar / Koechin Maria *

as Frau von Alady * Henry Sze as Dr. Li * Rosa Valetti as Frau Lesser * Paul Morgan as Fritz *

Rudolf Forster Rudolf Forster (30 October 1884 – 25 October 1968) was an Austrian film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1914 and 1968. His autobiography ''Das Spiel, mein Leben'' was published by Propyläen Verlag in 1967. He was born in Gr� ...

as Ernst Duffer *

Theodor Loos Theodor August Konrad Loos (18 May 1883 – 27 June 1954) was a German actor. The son of a watchmaker and instruments manufacturer, he left secondary school prematurely and worked for three years at an export firm for music instruments in L ...

as Raoul Hasenzwing

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1920 films Films of the Weimar Republic German silent feature films German drama films Films directed by Richard Oswald 1920 drama films German black-and-white films Films set in Berlin Lost German films The Devil in film Silent drama films Silent horror films 1920s German films {{1920s-Germany-film-stub