Original subtitles

FAUST

A GERMAN FOLK TALE.

Script: Hans Kyser

Director: F. W. Murnau

Cinematography: Carl Hoffmann

Set and Costume Design:

Robert Herlth, Walter Röhrig

Cast:

Behold:

The portals of darkness are open

and the shadows of the dead hunt over the Earth...

Back! Hold! Why dost thou scourge mankind

with war, plague, famine?!

The Earth is mine!

Never will the Earth be thine!

Man is good: he strives for Truth!

Look below!

All things in heaven and on Earth

are wonderful!

But the greatest wonder

is man's freedom to choose

between good and evil!

Dost thou know Faust?!

A knave like all others!

He preaches good and does evil!

He seeks to turn base metal into gold!

Behold his greed!

A wager:

I will wrest Faust's soul away from God!

If thou canst destroy

what is divine in Faust,

the Earth is thine!

No man can resist evil!

The bet is on!!

The Plague!...The Plague!

The devastating epidemic raged:

within a few clays half the town lay dying!

To find a cure for the plague

Faust spent clay and night

in prayer with God.

...and a great shriek

rose from Egypt,

for there was not a house

without its dead

Lord God,

bless this act of redemption!

Only you can alleviate our misery!

Help...help! My mother is dying!

Mortal terror and fear of death swept through the town...

Repent, fast and pray!

Only faith can vanquish death!

Show respect for the dead!

We still live. We still love!

We shall die dancing in each other's arms!

Who has faith shall live!

But death will take the sinners!

The Plague!! The Plague!!

Compassion, Faust!

Only you can help us!!

Get away from me! We are lost!

Neither faith nor knowledge is any help!

Everything is a lie...

My Lord, thou art merciful

and a great goodness

The third great key

to the force of the ghost of hell

And if thou would summon

the Prince of Darkness to aid thee and give thee

all the might and glory of the world

go to a crossroad

and call on him three times...

I invoke thy aid, Spirit of Darkness:

show thyself!

Come forth, demon of evil!

As thou art called

with thy unholy name:

MEPHISTO appear!

You have summoned me!

Here I am!

I renounce God and his heavenly legion

and so all the power and glory

of the world

shall be mine

Be gone from me, Satan!

To have the power to help for just one day!

One clay! Try it!

Just one trial clay!

When the sand runs out...

...you will be free,

the pact cancelled! Sign!

GLORY

POWER

Can you help the hungry and the sick?

What you wish, I will perform:

You are the master,

and I am your servant!

A drop of blood!

Blood is quite a remarkable substance!

For one clay only - ?!

Until the sand has run out!

Faust! Help us!!

Then I shall help in the devil's name!

A miracle! A miracle!

In the name of Christ crucified,

help my child!

He cannot look upon the Holy Cross!

He is in league with the devil!

Stone him! Stone him!!

Deliver me, elixir of death!

You cannot cheat me!

Remember our pact!

The trial clay is not over yet!

Death sets all men free!

Is that death?

It is life, Faust, seducing you

with the fair image of your youth!

Wretched Faust,

why do you seek death:

You have not yet lived!

I despise my life!

Your life was only the dust

and mould of books!

Pleasure is everything!

I am too old!

I offer you the greatest happiness:

Youth!

Seize it!

Give me youth!!!

I've caught you, old boy!

Take me...to her!

Step upon my cloak...

...and the spinning Earth will spread before you!

The wedding feast

for the Duchess of Parma:

the most beautiful woman in Italy!

Strange guests!

To pay tribute to the highest beauty,

my lord brings you

his kingdom's treasures!

The trial clay is over! The sand has run out!

Be as you were!

Youth... leave me my youth!!

I am enslaved for eternity!

Faust, you have tasted

all of life's pleasures!

From indulgence to indulgence...

sensation without end!

Yet nothing satisfied you!

What do you want?

A woman, a game of chance, an orgy?

Whatever you wish, I must grant!

Do you want the emperor's crown?!

Home!

Take me home! At once!

Is today a feast clay in your town?

Are you heathen born

that you have never heard

of Holy Easter?!

It is as if life had stood still:

All is as it once was...!

An innocent little girl runs to a priest...

She is not for you...!

Praise the Lord

the mighty king of honour...

Holiday, Mother!

I know more obliging wenches for you here!

I only want her! Do as I command!

Brother Valentin!

Once this little golden chain

is in the house,

she will begin to feel

the devil's power!

Good gracious, how pretty you are!

Any lovers yet?

What do you have there, child?

Tell her, my child,

if you don't want to tell me!

May I visit Aunt Marthe?

Frau Marthe Schwerdtlein

Three little drops from this love potion

and all the girls' hearts will be yours!

Aunt Marthe, look what I found in my drawer...!

A rich treasure!

I found it in my drawer!

Let me try on this beautiful necklace just the once!

A small bouquet for the bridegroom,

a little wreath for the bride...

Excuse me, lovely lady, I seek Frau Marthe Schwerdtlein!

From your cousin... from Lombardy...!

He gave me this necklace as a gift for you!

Those we encircle within this ring,

shall be sweethearts...!

One, two, three, makes you free...!

Pardon: my stomach is too weak for such a fiery drink!

Allow me to mix myself a little drink,

that I learned to make in Padua!

My friend, a prince of the noblest blood!

He loves me...

...he loves me not...

...he loves me...

Yes, with all his heart he loves you!

She loves me...

...she loves me not...

She loves you!

I am yours forever!

He loves me...!

What are you waiting for!?

Your sweetheart lights the way for you...!

Cursed matchmaker!

I will keep the brother out of the way!

To the prettiest girl in town!

No other girl is as pretty as your sister:

Long live Gretchen!

A pretty girl is not pure!

Here's to Gretchen!

Here's to your Gretchen!

If you hurry, you can catch her lover

before he slips out of her room!

Flee... flee... You have murdered him!

Murder!

Murder...Murder...!!

Murder...Murder...Murder...!!

Flee!...Flee!!

The deputies are already seeking the murderer!

Don't touch me, you wench!

Your lover has slain me!

Read me my requiem mass first!

Then: take this harlot to the stocks!

Gretchen...Gretchen...!

Now death and nature with surprise,

behold the trembling sinners rise

to meet the judge's searching eyes...

For now before the judge

no crime can pass unpunished here...

All hidden things must appear plain!

Mother...Mother!

And a little child has been born,

in the depth of winter...

Have mercy on my child!

Aren't you Gretchen, who stood in the stocks?!

Mercy! Mercy! My child is dying!

She has killed her child!

Seize her, the murderess!

Faust...Faust...help your Gretchen !!

Mephisto!

You have betrayed me!

She suffers...she suffers!!

To the stake with the child murderer!

Save her, save Gretchen!!

Too late! They're already building her funeral pyre!

You are still my servant!

Take me to her, or the pact is broken!

My steed awaits!

Quick, before morning comes!

Faster...faster!!

Oh, had I never wished for youth

that brought this misery!

Curse...curse the delusion of youth!

You have yourself cursed youth!

What you wish, I must grant!

Be as you were: an old man!!

Forgive...forgive me my sin!

Gretchen...!

Here is no place for thee!

I claim my wager!

One word breaks thy pact!

What is the word?

The word that wings joyfully

throughout the universe,

the word that appeases

every pain and grief,

the word that expiates

all human guilt,

the eternal word,

dost thou not know it?!

What is the word?

LOVE