Der Januskopf

film by Murnau

Also known as: “Janus-Faced”

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July 16, 2026

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Der Januskopf (1920) was a German silent film directed by F.W. Murnau. It is a variation of the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, a novella by Robert Louis Stevenson. The film starred Bela Lugosi and Conrad Veidt. Unfortunately, most of Murnau's early films, including Der Januskopf, are lost or exist only in fragmentary form. The novella by Stevenson explores the duality of human nature, with the respectable Dr. Jekyll transforming into the villainous Mr. Hyde. This theme of a divided self has been a recurring motif in literature and film.12

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F.W. Murnau
…supernatural in nature, such as Der Januskopf (1920; Janus-Faced), a highly praised variation of the Jekyll-and-Hyde story that starred Bela Lugosi and Conrad Veidt. Unfortunately, this and most of Murnau’s early films are lost or exist only in fragmentary form.
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…supernatural in nature, such as Der Januskopf (1920; Janus-Faced), a highly praised variation of the Jekyll-and-Hyde story that starred Bela Lugosi and Conrad Veidt. Unfortunately, this and most of Murnau’s early films are lost or exist only in fragmentary form.
Read More