A silent-era masterpiece where German Expressionism meets Hollywood lyricism, exploring a husband's journey through the shadows of murderous temptation toward a radiant, visual rebirth of marital love amidst a shifting, stylized world.
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans
""An artistic masterpiece and also a joy to watch.""
Director:
F. W. Murnau
Cast:
George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, Bodil Rosing, J. Farrell MacDonald
Drama
Romance
Box Office:
$1,636,000
Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
The melting intertitles
When the city woman suggests drowning the wife, the words on the screen literally dissolve and 'sink', mirroring the visual suggestion of the crime.
Names used on set
Though the characters are unnamed in the credits, the names Ansass and Indre (from the original novella) were used by the director and cast during filming. Lip-readers can see the Man shouting 'Indre' at the end.
Two Moons
In the marsh sequence, Murnau included two moons in the sky—one real and one reflected/stylized—to enhance the dreamlike, Expressionistic atmosphere of the scene.