Metropolis, a seminal film which was directed by the German director, Fritz Lang, is concerned with cultural and political issues. The societal issues which have been raised in the film are a commentary on the political scenario of Germany at the time of the making. The film does not stop at that only and goes on to give an insight into the future that impends the nation. The film criticizes the bourgeoisie practices and seeks the way to stand up against the oppressive forces which subjugate the common workers of the society.
The film is a vehement appeal to the masses to comprehend how the bourgeoisie aim to exploit the working class people across the society and how the power of unity can be the strongest weapon in the arsenal of the commoners to stand up against the evil of Capitalism. This film goes beyond the geographical boundaries which exist in the world and talk about the hardships of the working class people of the entire globe and also the indifferent attitude of their masters.
The film was made in the backdrop of the German failure after the World War I. During that time, there was hyperinflation which was reigning in the nation. The people were leading lives of hardships and films were a form of entertainment from the drudgeries of their lives. The director grabbed the opportunity and made the film which stood apart from the rest and hogged the attention of the masses.
Very interestingly, he chose to portray the power struggle, poverty and conflict of the society through a futuristic landscape using metaphors and symbols. According to an article, ‘Marxist criticism is a type of criticism in which literary works are viewed as the product of work and whose practitioners emphasize the role of class and ideology as they reflect, propagate, and even challenge the prevailing social order.’
It is at the very comprehension of the symbols that the audience can catch hold of the Marxist view of the film. The Marxist view of this film is evident from the very beginning. The opening sequence of the film portrays a montage of workers and machines that are on their way to work. This can be taken as a simple thing in the beginning, but what needs to be comprehended is that the workers that are shown on the screen are not portrayed as simple labors. They march in sync and it appears on the screen to be an endless line and the people look like drones more than looking humanistic. Reaching their stations, these workers take their roles just like being a part of a giant machine which is being functional.
The other Marxist element which is evident in the film is the robot and also the possible creation of more robots. To comprehend the symbolism of robots, one should know that the word comes from the Czech language and the meaning of the word ‘robot’ is ‘work’. These robots’ role and presence in the film is not limited to being scary sci-fi creations which have artificial intelligence. These robots are not meant to help the human beings, but to replace them in their work. In stark contrast to the humans, robots are perfect workers. Human beings toil hard for working and get tired after a point of time. However, to the bourgeoisie or the Capitalist, the robot is the quintessential creation of science and technology. A robot is devoid of any independent thought, much unlike the human beings. Also, it would never get tired or grow incapable of working day in and day out.
John Freder, who is the head of Metropolis, is a symbolic character too. He represents the Capitalist class who continuously employs every bit of strength and resource in the process of exploitation of the working class people of the land. His son goes on to have a dream where he sees that the robot version of Maria has been married to his father. This is in itself symbolic as the father’s “marriage” to a robot stands for the bond of the Capitalist with the evil strength.
The character of Maria in the film is symbolic and stands in stark contrast to the character of Freder. Maria symbolizes the ideals of Marxism. She is portrayed in the film as a leader right from the beginning. At the inception, she leads a large group of children in the film. These children are symbolic of the workers who are lost and are left with no other option but to follow the footsteps of Maria. She shows path to the many workers who are exploited by their employer. Their labor is not valued properly and they are made to work like machines, devoid of any human attributes. They are not adequately compensated and live in pitiable conditions in the lower part of the city.
There is this sequence where Freder visits the ‘Worker’s City’ which is at the lowest levels of Metropolis. He gets to know about the lives of the workers. He understands how the workers have become like machines. He also goes to the spiritual sessions which are conducted by Maria. Maria is someone who preaches to the workers that they need to be patient and wait till the mediation is reached. The workers, however, are fed up with their lives and are bent upon starting their rebellion. Freder is deeply moved by the miseries and hardships of the workers of Metropolis and he finally joins their cause and goes against his father. What disgusts him is how to keep the M-machine running after an explosion, the replacements are brought first and then the wounded or killed people are taken away.
‘In The German Ideology, Marx and Engels discuss the relationship between the arts, politics, and basic economic reality in terms of a general social theory.’ This film echoes the very essence of Marxism and portrays the ill-effects of Capitalism. It is through the mis-en-scene that the director intends to portray the images. He wishes to tell a story where the focus is on the tension between human beings and machines. The friction of the Capitalist and the Communist along with the religious and the atheist are vehemently expressed in this cinematic presentation by Lang. The possibilities of interpretation are infinite and depend on the comprehension of the audience. However, it is the Marxist wave of thought which supersedes every other interpretation and stirs the mind of the audience who are left to wonder about the brutalities of the bourgeoisie and how this affects the society and the people at large.
Works Cited
“Definition of Marxist Criticism.” virtuaLit: Critical Approaches. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 May 2014.
Metropolis (1927). Dir. Fritz Lang. Kino on Video, 1927. Film.
