The Mechanical Man
Early Italian sci-fi film with first robot battle.
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**The Mechanical Man** (Italian: *L'uomo meccanico*) is a 1921 Italian science fiction film. Directed by André Deed, who also played the comedic role of Saltarello, it was produced in 1920 and released in November of the following year. The cinematographer was Alberto Chentrens. The film is notable as one of the earliest Italian science fiction films and the first to feature a fight between two robots.
The original film ran approximately 80 minutes but was considered lost for many years. Eventually, reels of a Portuguese version were discovered at the Cinemateca Brasileira in Brazil. Only about 26 minutes (740 meters) survive. The DVD release from Alpha Video uses this incomplete Brazilian print, with newly created English intertitles. Film critic Christopher Workman has suggested the film may have influenced Fritz Lang's *Metropolis* (1927).
Deed began his acting career in France before moving to Italy, where he continued his slapstick style. After completing *The Mechanical Man*, he returned to France, where his acting popularity waned somewhat. He went on to direct around 40 films and act in over 200 before his death in 1940.
**Plot**
A scientist creates a man-shaped device that can be remote-controlled. This mechanical man possesses superhuman speed and strength. The scientist is killed by a criminal gang led by a woman named Mado, who want his secret. The criminals are captured, tried, and condemned, but Mado escapes. She kidnaps the scientist's niece and forces her to hand over the blueprints, which Mado uses to build her own mechanical man.
Mado uses her mechanical man to commit various crimes, including murder. The scientist's brother, Gabriel Moreau, successfully builds a second mechanical man to combat the first. The two machines fight in an opera house, ultimately destroying each other and the building. During the battle, Mado frantically tries to control her machine and is electrocuted at the control panel by a short circuit.
**Cast**
André Deed as Modestino D'Ara, or Saltarello Valentina Frascaroli as Margherita Donadieff, or Mado Mathilde Lambert as Elena D'Ara Gabriel Moreau as Professor D'Ara Ferdinando Vivas-May Giulia Costa
**Lost footage**
Most of the lost footage is from the first third of the film. Cast credits are also missing, leaving some characters unidentified.
**See also**
List
- Release year
- 1921
- Country of origin
- Italy
- Director
- André Deed
- Cinematographer
- Alberto Chentrens
- Original length
- About 80 minutes
- Surviving length
- About 26 minutes (740 meters)
- Notable for
- First film showing a battle between two robots
Lore & Background
The film's plot follows a scientist who creates a remote-controlled mechanical man with super-human speed and strength. After the scientist is killed by a gang led by a woman named Mado, she escapes custody, kidnaps the scientist's niece, and forces her to reveal the blueprints to build her own mechanical man. Mado uses the robot to commit crimes, including murder. The scientist's brother, Gabriel Moreau, builds a second mechanical man to combat the first. The two robots fight in an opera house, destroying each other and the building. Mado is electrocuted at the control panel during the battle.
Reader's Guide
The Mechanical Man holds significance as a pioneering work in Italian science fiction cinema and as the first film to feature a battle between two robots, a concept that would become a staple of the genre. For many years, the original film was considered lost until some reels of the Portuguese version were discovered at the Cinemateca Brasileira in Brazil. Only about 26 minutes of the original 80-minute film survive. The DVD release by Alpha Video uses this incomplete Brazilian print with new English intertitles. Film critic Christopher Workman has theorized that the film influenced Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927). Director André Deed began his acting career in France, moved to Italy, and after finishing The Mechanical Man returned to France, where his acting career slightly declined. He directed around 40 films and acted in over 200 before his death in 1940.
Did You Know?
- The Mechanical Man is the first film to show a battle between two robots.
- The film was considered lost until reels of the Portuguese version were found at the Cinemateca Brasileira in Brazil.
- Only about 26 minutes (740 meters) of the original 80-minute film survive.
- Film critic Christopher Workman has theorized that the film influenced Fritz Lang's Metropolis (1927).
Frequently Asked Questions
Who directed The Mechanical Man and who appeared on screen in it?
André Deed directed the 1921 Italian production and also acted in the comedic role of Saltarello. Alberto Chentrens was responsible for the cinematography.
Why is The Mechanical Man considered a landmark in film history?
It is recognised as one of the earliest Italian science-fiction films ever made. It also holds the distinction of being the first movie to depict a battle between two robots.
How much of The Mechanical Man survives today?
The original cut ran roughly eighty minutes, but the picture was long assumed to be lost. A Portuguese-language print was eventually located, and the extant material totals about twenty-six minutes (740 metres).
When was The Mechanical Man produced and released?
The film was produced in Italy in 1920 and reached theatrical audiences in November 1921. It is a silent picture from the early Italian cinema.
What happened to The Mechanical Man after its initial run?
For many years no known copies were thought to exist, and the film was listed among lost titles. That changed when reels of a Portuguese version surfaced in an archive, preserving a small fraction of the original runtime.
More in Silent science fiction films 1-20
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