Among the 10 lost films of German director F. W. Murnau - roughly half his output - Abend - Nacht - Morgen is one of the most sought after lost films in the world, even though it might not have borne a great amount of significance in Murnau's worklist. Murnau's fifth film as director was merely an entry in a popular series of mystery films featuring the character "Detective Ward." Reviewers at the time complained about its canny plot, reliance on coincidence and its "stolen jewels" device which was becoming an overabundant one in German mystery films. Nor were they much taken with the idea of a man hanged so long being able to revive himself so easily. However, several commented on the high quality of the camerawork and lighting and also mentioned that Conrad Veidt - in the supporting role of the man wrongly accused of the crime - basically ran away with the picture owing to the strength of his performance. One reviewer notes that Abend - Nacht - Morgen was already well received by the German public and considered a commercial success. The title - "Evening - Night - Morning" - refers to the action all taking place in less than a day's time.
by David Lewis
review
