General:
Germany, 1927
Directed by: Walter Ruttmann
Screenplay: Karl Freund, Carl Mayer, Walter Ruttmann
Cinematography: Robert Baberske, Karl Freund
Editing: Walter Ruttmann
In short:
The film opens with a train journey: a steam locomotive travels through meadows, garden colonies, and residential areas into the city, marking the boundary between the outskirts and the metropolis. After a sweeping view over Berlin’s rooftops, the film shows the city streets, repeatedly interrupted by the image of the clock tower at Berlin City Hall. Slowly, the once-empty morning streets fill with people on their way to work.
Musical version:
Music for cinema organ and piano by Wilfried Kaets.