There's almost no expressionistic phantasmagoria here.

A murder-mystery potboiler juiced by a couple brief dream sequences, one frightening and one comedic.

It's certainly beautiful - Murnau crafts some of his most strikingly lovely shots here , but the film's narrative is often left spinning its wheels.

[This] film is very much like being trapped at a party where no one is enjoying himself; all you can do is sit there, looking at the clock and imagining how soon you can make an excuse to get away.