Genuine (1920)

Decla-Bioscop (Germany)
Directed by Robert Wiene
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Kino)

The story of "Genuine", a tribal princess, who is sold at a slave market to an eccentric Lord who locks her in a room in his house. His friend the barber becomes enamored by her and visits every day, raising the suspicions of locals. So one stay he sends his young nephew instead, who also becomes entranced by the girl. She breaks out of the room and murders the barber, then demands that the nephew kill himself to prove his love for her. Meanwhile, the original Lord Melo's grandson arrives and becomes yet another victim of her irresistible charms. Director Wiene made this just before The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which would become one of the most highly influential German Expressionist films of the 1920s. Genuine often has the same look as Caligari, particularly her elaborate chamber, but completely lacks Caligari's emotional impact. The confusing plot, and lack of character motivation, combine to relegate it to obscurity.