German Expressionism In Metropolis

Fritz Lang's Metropolis details the age old conflict between the blue collared workers and the white collared businessmen. 
 The film centers around the main leader of the metropolis's son, Freder. Freder is blessed with the life of luxury and comfort. Once he encounters and falls in love with a saintly woman whose name is Maria, his life and the lives of those around him are changed forever. Freder is destined to be the "mediator" between the lower class and the upper class. Freder faces many obstacles, the most prominent one being his own father. In the end, Freder completes his goal as the mediator and reunites with his love, Maria.
 Specific techniques of German expressionism, such as dark vs. light, religious themes and spirituality, and the use

of a doppelgänger, in this film are used to highlight the differences in both the political and social world worlds in Metropolis. These techniques are used to highlight spiritual beliefs between the upper and lower class and how it further separates the two.
 Dark vs. light is a consistent theme and technique in German Expressionist films, and Metropolis is no exception to this rule, even more so with Fritz Lang at the helm. In this film, darkness, and to a further extent, moodiness, is used to display the oppressive nature of the upper class man and, more specifically, the ruthless Joh Fredersen. One of the first instances of darkness is introduced in the beginning of the film - when the workers, garnished in dark uniforms, are mindlessly walking to and from the factory. As earlier stated, darkness is used as an oppressive means. The workers are gritty and tired. Fredersen, who wears a combination of the two, is also oppressed from his own Machiavellian motives; his self-oppressive motives regresses any progress of amnesty between him and the workers. Because there is no amnesty, Fredersen and the workers are on unequal terms and both are in discord. Light represents freedom of oppression, and is most notably used in the garden where Freder and the other rich kids reside. Because they do not have to endure the suffering as the workers do, they are blind to any misery in its entirety.  Freder himself wears a light outfit for the majority of the film. An instance of light clashing with dark is when Freder, in search of Maria, opens his eyes to the anguish of the workers.

This conflicts with his whole life as he's only ever really known luxury. Freder's ignorance is further vanquished when he takes the place of a worker. Freder, having both experienced a life of luxury and a life of anguish (light and dark), serves as the perfect mediator between the two. In the end of the film, Freder's clothes are a mix between light and dark which further symbolizes his rightful state as a mediator.
 Spirituality and religion plays a strong role in the workers' lives and Maria serves as their spiritual leader. Maria, who is well aware of the misery, wears light colors and is the workers' tie-in to hope. Maria advocates peace, and although she has a strong influence of the workers, she does not use it for her own purposes. She is a foil to Fredersen. A religious theme prevalent in the film is the idea of the "mediator," and Freder, the mediator, can be viewed as a Christ-like figure. Freder sacrifices his life of luxury and is willing to rebel against his own further to fulfill his rule as the mediator. In this sense Maria is also a prophet. Furthermore, the doppelgänger, or the False Maria, can be seen as the Anti-Christ because she causes the fall of man by turning the workers against the upper

class.
 Maria represents the good of humanity: religious, wholesome, and honest. False Maria represents the evil of humanity and the seven deadly sins, especially lust, greed and hate. Interestingly, Maria is associated with the lower class while the doppelgänger is associated with the upper class. These comparisons can be made to highlight the social and political differences between the two classes themselves. Simplistically, the upper class appears to be immoral and one doesn't really see much religion coming from Fredersen or the other wealthy individuals. The upper class gains their pleasure by indulging into sin, like when the rich lust after the False Maria, while the lower gains it through Maria herself and the religious stories she narrates to them. If this film were to be viewed in a more religious perspective, then the ending certainly comes to mind. What's the point of Fredersen (who represents the rich, or evil) and Grot (who represents the poor, or good) coming together? Wouldn't it have been better to follow the righteous path? Freder, who has earlier been established as a Christ-like figure, is also to be viewed as the "middle way." While no one should have to suffer as the poor has, one shouldn't be as blind to it either.
 The separation finally reaches its end, and the only question that remains is "Will it last?" German expressionist techniques transform the story of Freder and his father's metropolis into a religious and spiritual one: the idea of good vs. evil and how good will always prevail.