Among the most personal of Murnau's German films, a bleak pastoral
melodrama on themes of ambition and obsession, which makes
characteristically effective use of the contrasts between different
visual environments. The extravagant decor and spaciousness of the
milieux of aristocrats and financiers is juxtaposed with the warm,
cosy interiors of the farm; against both lie the austere, snowbound
fields whose hidden treasure motivates the drama. It builds to an
extraordinary power as the anti-hero (Klöpfer) exploits the
love of the women around him for financial gain, finally precipitating
a fiery revenge.
