Fritz Lang

Fritz Lang was born in 1890 in Vienna, Austria, to a Jewish mother and Catholic father. Lang briefly attended the Technical University of Vienna, studying art, after which Lang began working at UFA.

Works that Lang directed have helped clarify the Film Noir genre, through the common themes of psychological conflict, paranoia, and alienation. While in Germany, Lang produced some of his better known films, such as M (1931), Metropolis (1927), and Die Nibelungen (1924).   

Lang left Germany shortly after Hitler came to power. Before leaving, however, Lang was offered a career with UFA when Joseph Goebbels, a Nazi Propagandist, banned Lang's The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. Lang moved to France for a period, directing one film there, before moving to Hollywood. In Hollywood, Lang produced several films, none of which were as well received as his earlier German works. These films have more recently become important in the Film Noir history.

In the late 1950's Lang returned to Germany to continue directing there. In Germany, he remade The Indian Tomb, and directed The Thousand Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, the final Dr. Mabuse film.

In 1976 Fritz Lang died, a very prolific and innovative director. During his life, Lang was supposedly difficult to work with. During the final scene of M, Lang pushed Peter Lorre down a set of stairs to make Lorre look more battered.