Hans Mierendorff is a hulking brute who murders his sister's lover and flees from Naples to Venice. There, he boards a ship captained by Otto Tressler. When Mierendorff is identified as being on board, Tressler, enthralled by passenger Grit Hegesa, refuses to dock the ship, but continues onward.

It's personally interesting to me as the earliest movie directed by E. A. Dupont; Karl Freund's camerawork shows him as comfortable shooting Italian scenery as he would later be shooting dark, proto-noir crime stuff for Universal, or comedy for I Love Lucy. Paul Leni is the art director.

Despite these talents who would later become notable, this is, in its first half, largely a potboiler about passion and the power of women to excite men into destructive acts. Perhaps the second half, released the following year, will turn up and offer more.

Kinder der Finsternis - 1. Der Mann aus Neapel

Kinder der Finsternis - 1. Der Mann aus Neapel (1921)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

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Kinder der Finsternis - 2. Kämpfende Welten

Alexander Naumov in Der Mann auf dem Kometen (1925)

Kinder der Finsternis - 1. Der Mann aus Neapel

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