Wahnsinn (lost German horror film; 1919)

Poster for the film.

Status: Lost

Wahnsinn (meaning Madness in German) is a silent German horror film released on the 15th of October 1919, directed by and starring Conrad Veidt, serving as the actor's directorial debut. It starred Veidt in the lead role alongside Reinhold Schünzel, Grit Hegesa, and Gussy Holl (Veidt's wife at the time).

The film's screenplay was written by Hermann Fellner and Margarete Lindau-Schulz and was adapted from a relatively unknown novel of the same name by Kurt Muenzer. The film's crew may have included Carl Hoffman as cinematographer and art director by Willi Hermann (this is unconfirmed). It likely had German intertitles throughout the film, similar to those seen in other films from the era as The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, in which Veidt also starred.

The film was produced by Veidt's own short-lived production company Veidtfilm, which produced the two films he directed in his lifetime, the other being the 1920 film Die Nacht auf Goldenhall (English: The Night at Goldenhall), which also lost today. Neither of his two films did well at the box office, which may have been a factor in Veidt's decision to return exclusively to acting roles soon after.

Synopsis

Note: The following is a loose translation of the original German production company's press release found in the First International Film Newspaper (Berlin) (vol. 13, no. 40 published on 11 Oct 1919 and found on p. 50-51).

Friedrich Lorenzen, an eccentric banker who avoids people, is close to madness when he learns that his lover Marion is having an affair with his general manager Jörges. He suffers from a nervous breakdown and on the advice of his doctor undertakes a trip around the world so that other people and areas will bring him new ideas.

One day his traveling car bumps into Gypsies, and he is told: "A chest will bring you the highest earthly happiness, but also death. Find the chest!"

The command: “Find the chest!” becomes his obsession. He once again races through the country in the car. Everywhere he looks for the chest, often thinking he has found it. He sees the chest in visions, and beside it, he sees a beautiful young girl standing next to it. He can’t find rest anywhere. He wanders around restlessly, constantly searching. Insanity! He roams the same alleys, houses, and streets again, but everything has amounted to nothing.

On the way home, a young crier offers him things for sale, including an oddly shaped key. His face becomes rigid, as the key bears the features of that girl who keeps appearing in his visions. With magical force, he feels forced to buy the key.

When he returns home, his servants are busy arranging the things he had bought along the way, however, nothing gives him any pleasure. Suddenly his gaze falls on a letter.

"I know you as an art-loving gentleman and, in addition to the things you bought, I am sending you a valuable item - a rare chest. Unfortunately, the key has been lost."

The chest! He jumps up and asks the servants for the chest. The key fits. Stunned, he collapses only to realize that this is a life-changing mystery. His mood now alternates between euphoric joy that the chest will open up and bring the greatest happiness to him and a deeply sad realization that his hours are soon numbered.

(All of the above events of the film are widely agreed upon however there seems to be some dispute on how the film ends, with two possible narratives occurring after this point. It is entirely possible however that both of these narratives have a place in the film, though most sources tend to only mention one and not the other.)

Possible Conclusions: When he opens the chest, he recoils: the girl climbs out of the coffin like a ghostly apparition. She presses it to him, he wants to kiss her, when suddenly the grinning gypsy girl stares back in his face. He runs away, tormented by the most terrible horrors. The prophecy is fulfilled. He was still granted three blissful nights in which he was allowed to relive his whole life: his childishness, and young love. Then the gloomy companion approaches death, not peacefully as it often comes -in a horrible embrace he pulls him towards him into the black nothingness. The faithless friend became the tool by whose hand he lost everything, love, happiness, and life.

OR

Now Marion (Lorenzen’s lover), forced into prostitution by Jörges, comes back to Lorenzen, but he no longer recognizes her in his madness. Jörges is on Marion's trail and locks Lorenzen in the chest. The lock snaps shut and can no longer be opened.

Reception

Note: This is a loose translation from the original German version of the review.

Anonymous:

"In the Marble House you meet Conrad Veidt in his star film "Wahnsinn", which shows his strong film-dramatic talents. Reinhold Schünzel and the classy dancer Grit Hegesa, who is sharply drawn in the film, give strong performances of their own. The charming Gussy Holl appears in a small role."

Cast List

Cast Member	Character Name
Conrad Veidt	Bankier Lorenzen
Reinhold Schünzel	Jörges
Grit Hegesa	Marion Cavello
Gussy Holl	Mädchen aus dem Althändler Laden
Heinrich Peer	Unknown Role

Crew List

Cast Member	Character Name
Director	Conrad Veidt
Writer(s)	Margarete Lindau-Schulz, Hermann Fellner, Kurt Muenzer (story)
Cinematography	Carl Hoffmann (or possibly Karl Freund)
Set Design/Art Direction	Willi Herrmann

Gallery

Images

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  Promotional Illustration for the film (Artist unknown).

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  Illustration for the film (Artist unknown).

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  Illustration promoting the film (Artist unknown).

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  Promotional poster featuring Conrad Veidt, the director, and star of the film.

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  Promotional poster for the film.

External Links

• Wikipedia page on Wahnsinn.
• IMDB page on Wahnsinn.