Tartuffe
dir. F. W. Murnau · 1926
Feature
Moral Ambiguity
Mood
Comedic / Contemplative
Look
silent film era aesthetics with exaggerated expressions and stylized sets
Structure
framed narrative with a play-within-a-film format
Plot
A young man shows his millionaire grandfather a film based on Molière's play "Tartuffe" in order to expose the old man's hypocritical governess who covets the young man's inheritance.
Why watch
A young man screens a film for his wealthy grandfather, aiming to unveil the hypocrisy of the old man's governess, who is more interested in his inheritance than his well-being. Watching this film is like stepping into a world where the absurdity of human behavior is laid bare, revealing the comedic yet tragic layers of familial relationships and societal expectations.
Talking points
- the role of satire in social critique
- the impact of wealth on family dynamics
- the relevance of Molière's themes today
- the evolution of comedy in cinema
Cultural context
1920s European cinemarise of the avant-gardesocietal shifts post-World War Icritique of bourgeois values