After a detective is assaulted by thugs and placed in an asylum run by Professor Baum, he observes the professor's preoccupation with another patient, the criminal genius Dr. Mabuse the hypnotist. When Mabuse's notes are found to be connected with a rash of recent crimes, Commissioner Lohmann must determine how Mabuse is communicating with the criminals, despite conflicting reports on the doctor's whereabouts, and capture him for good.
There is such a joy I get when I watch the crime or noir films of Fritz Lang. Here's a man that truly understands evil. Though I have yet to see all of his Mabuse works, I can't wait to see every single interpretation--both by him and others--of one of my very favourite cinematic villains. Furthermore, I greatly relish seeing the works of great filmmakers who use subtlety and cleverness to get their art out in the most difficult of circumstances, using their craftsmanship to take pokes at the oppressive regimes they are working under (i.e., Eisenstein, Lang, the Czech New Wave, Jafar Panahi). Essential for any fan of the genre, and worth both purchasing and rewatching if you, like me, are a work of a remarkable director at the pinnacle of his profession.