Authoritarian Essay

Films can tell a lot about society.  In fact, one can argue that films can serve as some of the most telling primary sources from certain eras.  Watching a film, a viewer could see many of the anxieties and concerns of the era; the implicit messages of these films can show the subconscious desires and fears of a society.  This is especially true regarding films made in the 20s and 30s in Germany.  During this time, directors like Fritz Lang made films that show one thing:  that Germany is craving an authoritarian leader.  Thus, Kracauer is correct.  

Let us for example look at the film M.  The film is brilliant in itself but also shows the horrible state of society of Germany during that time.  When the murders begin to occur, we see how society functions.  One of the most common complaints by the police force (which is trying hard to solve the murder) is that the public is not doing anything about it.  One of the officers, for example, is distraught that when the police goes to the public for help, all they get are paranoid phone calls of garbage men, but when they want truthful information, all of a sudden nobody remembers anything.  Parents, meanwhile, are not concerned about the safety of their children and turn a blind eye towards the kids playing even though there is a murdered on the loose.  In another scene, the police go to a bar to take down identification.  The people in the bar insult the police, who are trying to do a good job; they call the main officer fat and generally remain uncooperative.  

The people are presented as A.  not invested in their society and B.  distrustful of institutions.  The problem though is that in a democratic society, these two are imperative.  The point of a democratic society like Weimar’s is that there is freedom, but with freedom, there is also great responsibility.  People have to ensure the success of their own society by being vigilant of their communities.  Furthermore, they have to help the institutions that are trying to do their jobs.  But the people do neither, except only freak out.  One can contrast this with the action taken by the head of the underworld, who is the stereotype of a Nazi.  He calmly rationalizes the situation and finds a solution.  This is presented as the way of the future, a way that works.  

One can also look at films like “The Blue Angel”.  Again, there are scenes of “freedom” but all of this is basically just cabarets.  People’s sexual lusts are given free reign but we can see that the result is not positive.  The teacher Rath ends up dying, consumed by his lust; had society not given free reign to these urges, then the example of Rath wouldn’t have occurred.  The cabarets, meanwhile, are shown to be a place where people are not really happy; the dancers themselves look bored and out of shape, while the men are just satisfying their urges, completely being played by the women.  The implication is that it’s time to return to a traditional, more authoritarian society.