Secrets of a Soul 1926
Secrets of a Soul
Scientist Martin Fellmann is tormented by an irrational fear of knives and the irresistible compulsion to murder his wife. Driven to the brink of madness by fantastic nightmares, he encounters a psychoanalyst who offers to treat the perplexing malady.
Scientist Martin Fellmann is tormented by an irrational fear of knives and the irresistible compulsion to murder his wife. Driven to the brink of madness by fantastic nightmares, he encounters a psychoanalyst who offers to treat the perplexing malady.
Videos & Photos
All 1 Videos & 3 Photoscast
Full Cast & Crew... Martin Fellman
... Seine frau
... Die Mutter
... Erich
... (uncredited)
PP
Pavel Pavlov... Dr. Orth (as Pawel Pawloff)
User reviews
See All 1 Reviews06 Jun 2022 by CinemaSerf
Werner Krauss made quite a few titles with GW Pabst, and I consider this to be one of their better silent efforts together. He is the happily married "Fellman" who suddenly, and inexplicably, finds him self desirous of killing his wife (Ruth Weyher) with a knife. Now it has to be said that she could certainly be doing with an haircut, but anything else might be a tad too severe... Terrified by his new obsession, and by the impending arrival of his best friend (her cousin "Erich" - Jack Trevor) he flees their home to live with his mother (Ilka Grüning) who is reduced to cutting his food as he, by now, cannot bear to even handle a knife. Desperate, he seeks the help of "Dr. Orth" (Polycarpe Pavloff) who suggests that perhaps psychoanalysis might offer some explanation - and to the couch he goes. I suspect modern day psychiatrists would squirm at the very simplistic "it's all from an obscure or profound event from your childhood" - approach taken here, but it's almost 100 years old and the efforts and innovations being exemplified by "Orth" are quite intriguing to watch. The first cinematographic identification of the "id" that later played such a huge part in films like "The Forbidden Planet" (made thirty years later) is quite compellingly broken down for us in a perfectly plausible, if at times overly dramatic fashion. The dream sequence combines efficient special effects with his own personal allegory really quite effectively, and the score did much to add to the emotional angst of "Fellman" - who didn't actually want to murder his wife. You'll either love or hate the ending - I don't think there is much middle ground on that, but the whole thing is certainly worth catching up with.
Genres:
Release Date:
Mar 24, 1926 (Germany)
Run Time:
1hr 15`
MMPA Rating:
Original Language:
German
Production Countries:
Germany
Status:
Released
Plot Keywords:

Related Movies To
Secrets of a Soul - Secrets of a Soul
Werner Krauss made quite a few titles with GW Pabst, and I consider this to be one of their better silent efforts together. He is the happily married "Fellman" who suddenly, and inexplicably, finds him self desirous of killing his wife (Ruth Weyher) with a knife. Now it has to be said that she could certainly be doing with an haircut, but anything else might be a tad too severe... Terrified by his new obsession, and by the impending arrival of his best friend (her cousin "Erich" - Jack Trevor) he flees their home to live with his mother (Ilka Grüning) who is reduced to cutting his food as he, by now, cannot bear to even handle a knife. Desperate, he seeks the help of "Dr. Orth" (Polycarpe Pavloff) who suggests that perhaps psychoanalysis might offer some explanation - and to the couch he goes. I suspect modern day psychiatrists would squirm at the very simplistic "it's all from an obscure or profound event from your childhood" - approach taken here, but it's almost 100 years old and the efforts and innovations being exemplified by "Orth" are quite intriguing to watch. The first cinematographic identification of the "id" that later played such a huge part in films like "The Forbidden Planet" (made thirty years later) is quite compellingly broken down for us in a perfectly plausible, if at times overly dramatic fashion. The dream sequence combines efficient special effects with his own personal allegory really quite effectively, and the score did much to add to the emotional angst of "Fellman" - who didn't actually want to murder his wife. You'll either love or hate the ending - I don't think there is much middle ground on that, but the whole thing is certainly worth catching up with.
Cast & Crew of
Secrets of a Soul - Secrets of a Soul
Directors & Credit Writers
MS
Marc Sorkin... Assistant Director
... Director
Cast
... Martin Fellman
... Seine frau
... Die Mutter
... Erich
... (uncredited)
PP
Pavel Pavlov... Dr. Orth (as Pawel Pawloff)
... Fellmans Assistentin
... Dienstmaedchen
CR
Colin Ross... Kriminalkommissar
Produced By
... Production Manager
HN
Hans Neumann... Producer
Videos & Photos of
Secrets of a Soul - Secrets of a Soul
Videos ( 1)
Geheimnisse einer Seele (1926)
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