Considering Spione was made straight after Metropolis (1927) there could be some feelings of disappointment from followers of silent cinema on first viewing this film. While Metropolis has the texture of a modern masterpiece with it�s epic scale of a futuristic world in turmoil Spione takes us back to the modern day, with low cut heroes and super villains. However we are placed into a modern world of fast transportation and communication, a time of corruption, conspiracy and of betrayal.

The story is simple and yet confusing, but hugely entertaining. Agent No. 326 (played by Willy Fritsch) is given the mission to find and destroy an underground crime empire and to try and identify the infamous crime lord, Haghi (played by Rudolf Klein-Rogge). While doing so, he must keep out of the firing line of Haghi�s informers and survive from Haghi�s wrath. However when No. 326 falls for Sonya Baranilkowa (unknown to him at the beginning) who turns up to be his opposite number who works for Haghi he must try and keep ahead of the game as he has everything to lose, as he is pulled deeper and deeper into the hellish world of Haghi.

When sitting down and watching Spione for the first time it �s no surprise that it looks and feels like the usual spy thrillers that we have become accustomed to. Although a silent spy thriller, Lang presents the film�s unfolding of events with his unique flair and this seems to give a sense of a slick but dark spy thriller.

When studying Lang�s past work in the field of crime it is easy to find homage�s. One film in which this is evidenced is his 1922 film Dr Mabuse where betrayal and corruption go hand in hand. Even his later (sound) work in the way of his 1933 film M seems to make its mark with the effect of fast information via the fast communication of a modern world. While people still dream of the cityscape found around the tower of Babel and the infamous waking of Maria found in Metropolis. I dream of the sharp editing, the daring found in the storytelling and the depth of the characters that Lang and fellow writer and wife Thea von Harbou designed for Spione.

And while Fritsch�s and Maurus� roles are characters that we enjoy, it is always the villain that we find the most appealing, and it is wonderful to see Klein-Rogge retain the almost same character in which he played in Dr Mabuse.

However while Klein-Rogge dominates every scene he is in, it is always the unexpected situation that brings out the great storytelling and the passion that Lang has brought with this wonderful film.


Nothing remains of an original negative of Spione, so the result made by the efforts of the Friedrich�Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung is (as always) a superb quality print. Much was taken from a high quality nitrate copy found at the Narodni Filmovy Archiv in Prague, while extra material was found throughout Europe and the rest of the world.
And although particular segments of the restoration show minor damage such as scratches, these can only be found when examining the DVD transfer very closely. Finally the black levels found on the print are also very affluent, rich and deep, although at times the white contrasts do seem to be a bit too bright.

The most disappointing aspect of the DVD is the lack of extras. Unlike many of the past silent cinema titles found on Eureka�s �The Masters of Cinema� collection, Spione does come rather light on the extra side of things. Only a 20-page booklet (containing an essay by Jonathan Rosenbaum) really makes any sort of mark on the insight of the making of Spione and the background behind the film�s themes.

However it does contain enough material to keep anyone interested in the back-story of Spione to sit down and watch it again. I know I will.