Metropolis (novel)

1925 German-language book by Thea von Harbou

Metropolis

First edition cover

Author| Thea von Harbou
Language| German
Publisher| Illustriertes Blatt
August Scherl

Publication date

| 1925
Publication place| Germany

Published in English

| 1927
Pages| 273

Metropolis is a 1925 science fiction novel by the German writer Thea von Harbou. The novel was a treatment for Fritz Lang's 1927 film Metropolis, on which von Harbou and Lang collaborated in 1924.

## Premise

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The story is set in a technologically advanced city, which is sustained by the existence of an exploited class of labourers who live underground, far away from the gleaming surface world. Freder, the son and heir of Joh Fredersen, one of the city's founders, falls in love with Maria, a girl from the underground. Their romance takes place against the growing threat of civil war between the labourers and the armies of the founders, and the question of whether a lasting peace can be found.

## Publication

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The novel was serialised in the magazine Illustriertes Blatt in 1925, accompanied by screenshots from the upcoming film adaptation.[1] It was published in book form in 1926 by August Scherl.[2] An English translation was published in 1927.[3]

Cover of the first edition of the English translation (art by Aubrey Hammond)

## Reception

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Michael Joseph of The Bookman wrote about the novel: "It is a remarkable piece of work, skilfully reproducing the atmosphere one has come to associate with the most ambitious German film productions. Suggestive in many respects of the dramatic work of Karel Capek and of the earlier fantastic romances of H. G. Wells, in treatment it is an interesting example of expressionist literature. [...] Metropolis is one of the most powerful novels I have read and one which may capture a large public both in America and England if it does not prove too bewildering to the plain reader."[4]

## Film adaptation

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The book was written with the intention of being adapted for film by Harbou's husband, the director Fritz Lang. Harbou collaborated with Lang on the script for the film, also titled Metropolis. Shooting began before the novel was published. The film omits certain parts of the book, especially references to the occult (of which a small hint exists in the film). Other parts of the story in the book disappeared from the film after drastic cuts made by the studio and distributors after the film's initial release. Some of these cuts have been rediscovered, while others remain lost. Also missing from the film are explications of the moral motivations for certain actions of the main characters.[1]

## See also

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* Maschinenmensch
* Rotwang
* 1925 in science fiction
* 1926 in science fiction

## References

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1. ^ a b Minden, Michael; Bachmann, Holger (2002). Fritz Lang's Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear. Columbia, South Carolina: Camden House Publishing. p. 59\. ISBN 1-57113-146-9.
2. ^ Metropolis: Roman. OCLC 22402104 - via WorldCat.
3. ^ Metropolis. OCLC 7318111 - via WorldCat.
4. ^ Joseph, Michael (April 1927). "The Seven Seas". The Bookman. p. 227.

## External links

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* Metropolis at Standard Ebooks
*   * Metropolis at Project Gutenberg

* v
* t
* e

Metropolis by Thea von Harbou and Fritz Lang

Works|

* 1925 novel
* 1927 film

Characters|

* Maschinenmensch
* Rotwang

Adaptations|

* Metropolis (1989 musical)

Music albums|

* S.U.S.A.R. (2004)
* Metropolis Rescore (2005)
* Vertikal (2013)

Related|

* Mekanique
* Metropolis (comics)
* Metropolis (manga)
* Schüfftan process

* v
* t
* e

Thea von Harbou

* List of works

Films directed|

* Elisabeth and the Fool (1934)
* Hanneles Himmelfahrt (1934)

Films written|

* The Legend of Holy Simplicity (1920)
* The Wandering Image (1920)
* Destiny (1921)
* Four Around a Woman (1921)
* The Indian Tomb (1921)
* The Women of Gnadenstein (1921)
* The Burning Soil (1922)
* Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (1922)
* Phantom (1922)
* The Expulsion (1923)
* The Stone Rider (1923)
* Princess Suwarin (1923)
* The Grand Duke's Finances (1924)
* Die Nibelungen (1924)
* Michael (1924)
* Chronicles of the Gray House (1925)
* Metropolis (1927)
* Spione (1928)
* Woman in the Moon (1929)
* M (1931)
* The First Right of the Child (1932)
* The Marathon Runner (1933)
* The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933)
* The Old and the Young King (1934)
* Princess Turandot (1934)
* What Am I Without You (1934)
* Turandot, Princess of China (1935)
* The Old and the Young King (1935)
* An Ideal Husband (1935)
* Escapade (1936)
* The Impossible Woman (1936)
* A Woman of No Importance (1936)
* The Broken Jug (1937)
* Don't Promise Me Anything (1937)
* Mother Song (1937)
* The Ruler (1937)
* Covered Tracks (1938)
* The Woman at the Crossroads (1938)
* Hurrah! I'm a Father (1939)
* Stars of Variety (1939)
* Clarissa (1941)
* With the Eyes of a Woman (1942)
* Maria Malibran (1943)
* A Wife for Three Days (1944)
* Via Mala (1945)
* Journey to Happiness (1948)
* A Day Will Come (1950)
* Dr. Holl (1951)
* Your Heart Is My Homeland (1953)

Novels written|

* The Indian Tomb (1918)
* Metropolis (1925)
* The Rocket to the Moon (1928)

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