Faust is a classic silent film produced in 1926 by UFA, directed by F.W. Murnau, starring Gösta Ekman as Faust, Emil Jannings as Mephisto, Camilla Horn as Gretchen/Marguerite, Frida Richard as her mother, Wilhelm Dieterle as her brother and Yvette Guilbert as Marthe Schwerdtlein, her aunt. Murnau's film draws on older traditions of the legendary tale of Faust as well as on Goethe's classic version.

Mephisto.

• This carefully composed and innovative feature contains many memorable images and special effects, with careful attention paid to contrasts of light and dark. Particularly striking is the sequence in which the giant, horned and black winged figure of Mephisto (Jannings) hovers over a town sowing the seeds of plague. The acting by Ekman (who miraculously transforms, in the course of the film, from a bearded old man to a handsome youth) and the sinister, scowling, demonic Jannings is first rate and the virtually unknown actress Camilla Horn gives a memorable performance as the tragic figure of Gretchen.

Faust would be Murnau's last German movie, before moving to the US under contract to William Fox to direct Sunrise (1927). http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/film_review.asp?ID=2342 Also known as:

• Faust - Eine deutsche Volkssage
• Faust: A German Folk Legend (Canada: English title)

Mephisto convince l'Arcangelo Gabriele a fare una scommessa con lui: riuscira' a corrompere l'onesto professor Faust e conquistera', in questo modo, le anime degli esseri umani. Dopo aver portato la peste in paese, Mephisto arriva ad un accordo con il professore, per farlo entrare in possesso di poteri taumaturgici per poter curare i malati. Inoltre, il Diavolo gli dona la giovinezza e l'amore della giovane e bella Margherita, da sempre amata da Faust. Ma proprio l'amore per la donna dara' al povero Faust la consapevolezza di un nuovo spirito e di una nuova coscienza: il contratto verra' reciso e l'umanita' sara' salva. Written by rosebud6

God and Satan war over earth; to settle things, they wager on the soul of Faust, a learned and prayerful alchemist. During a plague, Faust despairs and burns his books after failing to stop death; Satan sends Mephisto to tempt Faust, first with insight into treating the plague and then with a day's return to youth. Mephisto is clever, timing the end of this 24 hours as Faust embraces the beautiful Duchess of Parma. Faust trades his soul for youth. Some time later, he's bored, and demands on Easter Sunday that Mephisto take him home. Faust promptly sees and falls in love with the beautiful Gretchen, whose liaison with him brings her dishonor. Is there redemption? Who wins the wager? Written by