Metropolis Film Review – Gender

Metropolis produced in 1927, directed by Fritz Lang represents a futuristic dystopian city filled
with both modern and traditional architecture. The film shows the divide between the working
class and higher class of Germany by having two separate cities within the Metropolis. One
displays beautifully designed architecture, while the other is engulfed by smog and rustic
machinery. The machines allow the city to function but requires constant attention from the male
workers, only when a few rebel does the whole city crumble. Gender within the film is also a
topic explored heavily, especially in the representation of females.

One way in which the film demonstrates the difference in genders is during one of the first
scenes of the film. Figure 1 takes place in a garden within the centre of the city, this is the first
time we are introduced the main protagonist Freder. In this scene he is surrounded by a lot of
women mainly wearing very sexual clothing and flirting with the male characters. The film’s
representation of the women within the higher class seemed to be influenced by the general
role of females at the time of the film. “Women were represented in different ways throughout
the movie Metropolis, but the underlying theme was women were seen as purely sexual.” (n.d,
2016:1). As the film is told predominantly through the eyes of a male character, the women are
often portrayed as sexual objects, explaining their choice of clothing and tone towards the male
characters shown in Figure 1. Doing so also causes them to lose their own identity and
personality and become a symbol for all women.

Figure 1 – Garden [Metropolis]

Later on in the film Rotwang creates the robot version of Maria, the main female character of
the film. This was another way in which Lang presented women very sexually. “The robot was
seen as a creation of technology and femininity and sexuality through the male imagination”
(n.d, 2016:1). By creating this female robot, it can be seen that she is threatening male
dominance as she begins mentor and lead the male workers. However, she is also shown
dancing sexually in front of all the higher class males in Figure 2, which links back to how she
was created by a male inventor. The reactions and facial expressions displayed on their faces
also indicates the weakness in which men have towards females Figure 3. “With the creation of
robot Maria, came the ability for the viewer to clearly see how sexuality can be used to gain
power and control” (n.d, 2017:1). Maria is then able to run as the protagonist of the film as she
has taken control of the men due to her sexuality.

Figure 2 – Maria dancing scene Figure 3 – Maria dancing scene

[Metropolis] 2 [Metropolis]

Throughout the entire film there is an underlying theme that men are always controlling women,
and are threatened that they may dominate society. Overall, the film’s representation of women
is the stereotype of their sexuality and persona.
Illustration List:

Figure 1: Garden Scene [image] https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=111819

Figure 2: Dancing Scene [image]  https://thea210.wordpress.com/2012/07/23/the-virgin-and-the-whore-

archetypal-characters-in-fritz-langs-metropolis/

Figure 3: Dancing scene 2 [image] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inRzMk-C6aU

Bibliography:

N/A. (N/A). Portrayal of Women in the Movie (Film), Metropolis.Available: https://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=11737. Last
accessed 30th September 2018.

N/A. (2017). Film Analysis: Metropolis Women. Available: https://www.ukessays.com/essays/film-studies/film-metropolis-

women.php. Last accessed 30th September 2018 .

we6880. (2017). Gender and Modernism in Metropolis. Available: https://courseblogs.bard.edu/lit3046s17/gender-and-

modernism-in-metropolis/. Last accessed 30th September 2018.