Returning to germany Lang let influence his Hollywood experiences in this german thriller. The criminal genius Dr. Mabuse (Wolfgang Preiss in his genious acting; afterwards his career was in international war- and anti-war movies as a german General) plays tricky with society and police. Detective Gert Fröbe plays good, some say Preiss plays better, decide for your own. This tentious thriller explores, that by little action big disport can be formed, imagine Lang would have made Face Off (1998) !