Tartuffe

Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau - 1925
The often referred to 'mobile camera' of Murnau, and Freund, has often confused me, for, for all the innovations in movement, as an aesthetic principle it is pretty minimal in a lot of shots. But here I felt great mobility in the camera, despite its stillness; precisely because their is mobility in the set up; Murnau, as Griffiths, introduces the idea of the camera as being able to shoot from any point, any angle, not constrained by stage constaints. His camera can be below, behind, through a window, wherever.
This surprised me for the pace of the edit, and for how close the framings are. And I mean really close; facial close-ups even, medium shots could be as far out as we get for a few sequences. This is not what one expects of silent cinema. There is also some long stuff, on that slightly abstract, deeply beautiful studio set look that Murnau has, with light expressionism (cinematic, German) infusing the air; a kind of slightly lighter one than, say, Murnau's 'Faust'.
I didn't find this his most distinctive work, we basically have a tale set out in front of us (or around us, as above). Of course the compositions are [refect, hang-up able. I watched a copy with a lot of yellow tints, high contrasts, and pretty scratchy, faded sides. Also note we have the Murnau-ish back of the leering man.
The obvious point of interest is the framing device; why? There is quite a shock here. Is it modernist (why categorize?)? Yes and no. Yes, in that we are told 'Tartuffe' and asked explictly to reflect on it, consider even the morality of telling a tale. No in that what it sets up is simply a very middle-ages esque tale, pure and simple; it is a morality play, modernist only if you are being difficult.
There are recurring elements of Murnau found even in Moliere's story. The odd attitude towards woman, showing their power, yet disgust with them is obvious; as is a kind of lust (the director's sexuality notwithstanding, perhaps). Also the fear of unemployment, and the need to communicate, say something. This moral part (not that I necessarilly agree..), with the tale like structure, put me in mind of the slightly more detailed, though admittedly less ornate and baroque, 'Master Of The House'.