The City Without Jews
In the Republic of Utopia, because of the bad economic crisis ailing the nation, the Jews are made the scapegoats for the economic and social ills affecting the population; therefore, the government decides to expel them. Leo Strakosch is among the exiled. He is engaged to Counsellor's Linder's daughter. He gets into the Republic, in a clandestine way, to show to the society the wrongness of their anti-semitic prejudice. Bettauer's novel differs essentially from the film version. "Vienna" was named "Utopia". Even a happy ending was provided.
A chillingly prescient silent film that uses stark expressionism to visualize a society consumed by fear and hatred. It feels like a fever dream of impending doom, a stark warning etched in shadow and light.
