A world-famous pianist loses both hands in an accident. When new hands are grafted on, he is horrified to learn they once belonged to a murderer.
Acting
Veidt's hands do more acting than most faces.
Cinematography
Expressionist shadows that swallow whole rooms.
Direction
Wiene builds dread through architecture, not jump scares.
Director
Robert Wiene
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Conrad Veidt was so committed he practiced piano for months, then had a professional pianist's hands spliced in for close-ups anyway.
This kicked off Hollywood's 'creepy hand transplant' obsession — remade twice as 'Mad Love' (1935, 1960) and referenced everywhere from 'Evil Dead' to 'Idle Hands.'
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