The Testament of Dr. Mabuse

1962 1h 28m DE

😐

5.5

MID

⭐

5.9

IMDB

★5.5TMDB · 26★5.9IMDB · 729

CrimeMystery

Synopsis

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Dr. Mabuse has been locked away for years in an insane asylum. Suddenly crimes start occurring and no one knows the culprit. A detective goes to visit the Doctor to find some sort of clues to the robberies.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Gert Fröbe
Kriminalkommissar Lohmann
Senta Berger
Nelly
Helmut Schmid
Jonny Briggs
Wolfgang Preiss
Dr. Mabuse
Harald Juhnke
Kriminalassistent Krüger
Charles Regnier
Mortimer
Leon Askin
Flocke
Walter Rilla
Professor Pohland

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Werner Klingler
Writers: Ladislas Fodor, Robert A. Stemmle, Norbert Jacques
Languages: German
Countries: Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

64 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Dr. Mabuse Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Werner Klingler, shot by Albert Benitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Raimund Rosenberger. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Walter Wischniewsky shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Gert Fröbe and Senta Berger and Helmut Schmid carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0056573 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Werner Klingler directs. Albert Benitz behind the camera. Raimund Rosenberger scores. Walter Wischniewsky cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Germany. Dialogue in German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
264 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
3Part of the "Dr. Mabuse Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Directed by Werner Klingler, shot by Albert Benitz. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Raimund Rosenberger. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Walter Wischniewsky shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Gert Fröbe and Senta Berger and Helmut Schmid carry the top of the cast.
8IMDB entry: tt0056573 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 26 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography: Albert Benitz
Original score: Raimund Rosenberger
Editing: Walter Wischniewsky
Production design: Paul Markwitz
Costume design: Vera Mügge
Runtime: 88 min · 1h 28m
Status: Released
Original language: DE
Certification (US): 18
IMDB: The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1962)
IMDB rating: 5.9/10 · 729 votes

Part of

Dr. Mabuse Collection

Dr. Mabuse the Gambler (German: Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler) is the first film in the Dr. Mabuse series about the character Doctor Mabuse who featured in the novels of Norbert Jacques. It was directed by Fritz Lang and released in 1922. The film is silent and would be followed by the sound sequels The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) and The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse (1960). It is four and a half hours long and divided into two parts, originally released a month apart. The title, Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler, makes use of three meanings of the German Der Spieler which can mean gambler, puppeteer, or actor. The character Dr. Mabuse, who disguises himself, manipulates people, and is a notorious gambler, embodies all senses of the word. Therefore, the Player might be a more appropriate translation of the title. The film is included in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, being the first of five Lang films to be entered.