The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser

Based on the remarkable true story of the foundling Kaspar Hauser, this is an eloquent, deeply moving account of a grown man, barely able to walk or talk, who appears suddenly in the town square of Nuremberg, Germany, in 1828, clutching a letter which claims that his name is Kaspar. His origins are shrouded in mystery but it seems that he has been imprisoned without human contact since childhood. He learns to speak and some attempt is made to integrate him into society. He is puzzled over and examined by a series of learned minds, some sympathetic, some hostile, yet he seems to defy analysis. Featuring a mesmerising performance by non-actor Bruno S. in the lead role, the film picked up three awards at the Cannes Film Festival. Other films have been made about Kaspar Hauser but Werner Herzog’s affecting, sensitive interpretation is surely the best of them. 

“One of the most fascinating of films. At his best, Herzog is like no other film-maker I know.” The Guardian