Berlin: Symphony of a Great City

Synopsis

Without a traditional plot or actors, this documentary captures the rhythmic pulse of Berlin from dawn until midnight. Trains arrive, factories hum, and nightlife erupts in a montage of kinetic urban energy. Walter Ruttmann uses rhythmic editing and abstract visual patterns to create a 'city symphony' that treats the metropolis as a living organism. It stands as a pinnacle of the Neue Sachlichkeit movement, influencing how cities are depicted in film.

Critique

Walter Ruttmann’s film defined the 'city symphony' genre. Abandoning narrative characters, it stars Berlin itself, capturing the rhythmic pulse of industrial life through kinetic editing and abstract patterns. Influenced by Soviet montage, it treats machinery, crowds, and architecture as musical notes in a visual score. It reflects the Neue Sachlichkeit movement’s focus on objective reality while maintaining an artistic flow. It remains a vital historical document and a masterclass in editing, showing how cinema can capture the soul of a modern metropolis.

Technical sheet

Director

Walter Ruttmann

Original title

Berlin, die Symphonie der Großstadt

Year

1927

Country

Germany

Running time

69 min

Genre

Documentary

Written by

Carl Mayer, Walter Ruttmann, Karl Freund

Cinematography

Robert Baberske, Karl Freund, Reimar Kuntze

Cast

Paul von Hindenburg

Production

Deutsche Vereinsfilm AG, Fox Europa Produktion

Music

Newly composed original score

Licensing