The Cabinet of Caligari
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet of Caligari is a film by Roger Kay, starring Glynis Johns
, Dan O'Herlihy
, and Richard Davalos
, and released by 20th Century Fox
.
Although the film has a title that is very similar to that of the acclaimed silent
horror film
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
(1920), it shares very few similarities, except for the main plot twist. The film is notable for a script penned by author Robert Bloch
, author of the novel Psycho. The cinematographer for The Cabinet of Caligari was John L. Russell, who also worked on Alfred Hitchcock
's film Psycho
(1960) based on Bloch's novel.
The story of how director Roger Kay tried to rob Bloch of the writing credit for the film but of how Bloch won out is told in Bloch's autobiography.
Prevented by guards from leaving, and unable to telephone, Jane seeks allies among the other guests but finds only three possible candidates: the older Paul, the younger Mark (for whom she has romantic desires), and a lively elderly woman named Ruth. After seeing Ruth tortured, Jane goes to Paul who convinces her to confront Caligari. Jane does so and tries to seduce him, as she suspects he has been spying on her in the bath. After that fails, Caligari reveals that he and Paul and are one and the same person and Jane runs down a corridor of wildly shifting imagery that acts as a transition.
Finally it is revealed that Jane is a mental patient and everything the audience has seen up to this point has been her distortion of the institute she was in: the personal questions were psychoanalysis, the disgusting pictures were Rorschach cards, Ruth's torture was shock treatment, and even Caligari's coat of arms
was a distorted version of the medical caduceus
symbol. Cured, Jane is taken from the asylum by Mark, now revealed to be her son; and then we see Jane's face. She now has many wrinkles implying that she is far older than the smooth-skinned woman we have seen through most of the film.
Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns is a South African-born Welsh stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
, Dan O'Herlihy
Dan O'Herlihy
Daniel O'Herlihy was an Oscar nominated Irish film actor.-Early life:O'Herlihy was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1919. His family moved to Dublin at a young age...
, and Richard Davalos
Richard Davalos
Richard Davalos is an American actor.Davalos was born in New York City, New York, of Finnish and Spanish descent. Davalos starred in East of Eden as James Dean's brother and portrayed the convict Blind Dick in Cool Hand Luke...
, and released by 20th Century Fox
20th Century Fox
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation — also known as 20th Century Fox, or simply 20th or Fox — is one of the six major American film studios...
.
Although the film has a title that is very similar to that of the acclaimed silent
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is a 1920 silent horror film directed by Robert Wiene from a screenplay by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. It is one of the most influential of German Expressionist films and is often considered one of the greatest horror movies of the silent era. This movie is cited as...
(1920), it shares very few similarities, except for the main plot twist. The film is notable for a script penned by author Robert Bloch
Robert Bloch
Robert Albert Bloch was a prolific American writer, primarily of crime, horror and science fiction. He is best known as the writer of Psycho, the basis for the film of the same name by Alfred Hitchcock...
, author of the novel Psycho. The cinematographer for The Cabinet of Caligari was John L. Russell, who also worked on Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
's film Psycho
Psycho (1960 film)
Psycho is a 1960 American suspense/psychological horror film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch...
(1960) based on Bloch's novel.
The story of how director Roger Kay tried to rob Bloch of the writing credit for the film but of how Bloch won out is told in Bloch's autobiography.
Cast
- Glynis JohnsGlynis JohnsGlynis Johns is a South African-born Welsh stage and film actress, dancer, pianist and singer . With a career spanning seven decades, Johns is often cited as the "complete actress", who happens to be a trained pianist and singer...
as Jane - Dan O'HerlihyDan O'HerlihyDaniel O'Herlihy was an Oscar nominated Irish film actor.-Early life:O'Herlihy was born in Wexford, Ireland in 1919. His family moved to Dublin at a young age...
as Paul/Caligari - Dick Davalos as Mark
- Lawrence DobkinLawrence DobkinLawrence Dobkin was an American television director, actor and television screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades....
as David - Constance FordConstance FordConstance Ford was an American actress and model. She is best known for her long-running role as Ada Hobson on the daytime soap opera Another World.-Career:...
as Christine - Estelle WinwoodEstelle WinwoodEstelle Winwood was an English stage and film actress who moved to the United States in mid-career and became celebrated for her longevity.-Early life and early career:...
as Ruth
Plot
Motorist Jane Lindstrom has a blowout and seeks assistance at an estate owned by Caligari, a very polite man with a German accent. After spending the night she finds that Caligari will not let her leave; he proceeds to ask some personal questions and shows her disgusting pictures.Prevented by guards from leaving, and unable to telephone, Jane seeks allies among the other guests but finds only three possible candidates: the older Paul, the younger Mark (for whom she has romantic desires), and a lively elderly woman named Ruth. After seeing Ruth tortured, Jane goes to Paul who convinces her to confront Caligari. Jane does so and tries to seduce him, as she suspects he has been spying on her in the bath. After that fails, Caligari reveals that he and Paul and are one and the same person and Jane runs down a corridor of wildly shifting imagery that acts as a transition.
Finally it is revealed that Jane is a mental patient and everything the audience has seen up to this point has been her distortion of the institute she was in: the personal questions were psychoanalysis, the disgusting pictures were Rorschach cards, Ruth's torture was shock treatment, and even Caligari's coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was a distorted version of the medical caduceus
Caduceus
The caduceus is the staff carried by Hermes in Greek mythology. The same staff was also borne by heralds in general, for example by Iris, the messenger of Hera. It is a short staff entwined by two serpents, sometimes surmounted by wings...
symbol. Cured, Jane is taken from the asylum by Mark, now revealed to be her son; and then we see Jane's face. She now has many wrinkles implying that she is far older than the smooth-skinned woman we have seen through most of the film.