Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis is a 1927 German expressionist science-fiction silent film directed by Fritz Lang and written by Thea von Harbou in collaboration with Lang from von Harbou's 1925 novel of the same name (which was intentionally written as a treatment).

In the future, wealthy industrialists and business magnates and their top employees reign over the city of Metropolis from colossal skyscrapers, while underground-dwelling workers toil to operate the great machines that power it. Joh Fredersen is the city's master. His son, Freder, idles away his time at sports and in a pleasure garden, but is interrupted by the arrival of a young woman named Maria, who has brought a group of workers' children to witness the lifestyle of their rich "brothers".

Cast
Alfred Abel as Joh Fredersen, the master of Metropolis
Gustav Fröhlich as Freder, Joh Fredersen's son
Rudolf Klein-Rogge as Rotwang, the inventor
Fritz Rasp as The Thin Man, Fredersen's spy
Theodor Loos as Josaphat, Fredersen's assistant and Freder's friend
Erwin Biswanger as 11811, a worker, also known as Georgy
Heinrich George as Grot, guardian of the Heart Machine
Brigitte Helm as Maria / The Machine Man[note 1]
Heinrich Gotho as Master of Ceremonies in Pleasure Gardens (uncredited)