The Merry-Go-Round
Summary
In the labyrinthine milieu of early 20th-century urbanity, 'The Merry-Go-Round' unfurls a grim narrative of societal entrapment and the inexorable pull of a tainted past. Elena, a woman once ensnared by the predatory clutches of the street, endeavors to sculpt a new existence, finding a semblance of sanctuary and respectability in her marriage to Albert, a seemingly unassuming shopkeeper. Their union, a fragile edifice built on the unspoken hopes of anonymity and redemption, is brutally shattered by the spectral re-emergence of Peter, Elena's former pimp. His malevolent presence acts as a corrosive agent, systematically dismantling the fragile peace she has painstakingly constructed. The film charts her descent into a vortex of despair, culminating in a desperate act of violence against her tormentor, followed by a tragic, self-administered oblivion. It's a stark portrayal of a woman irrevocably tethered to her history, where the possibility of escape from social stigma proves a cruel illusion, leading to a denouement of profound, existential finality.
Synopsis
Drama about street walker Elena who marries shop keeper Albert. When her former pimp Peter shows up, her life is ruined. She shoots him and poisons herself.
Director
Willi Schaeffers, Hugo Döblin, Asta Nielsen, Irmgard Bern, Eduard von Winterstein, Willy Karin, Theodor Loos, Loni Nest, Ilse von Tasso-Lind, Conrad Veidt
Richard Oswald, Arthur Schnitzler
