could hardly comprehend without such a document". Film-Kurier praised Klein-Rogge's "brilliant performance" and Lang's "sensitive yet experienced" direction. When the film was released in the United States in 1927 in a single film that was less than half the length of the original 2-part version, The New York Times criticized it for being too long and for the "hyperbolic overacting". But when the full length version finally was released in the United States at the 1973 New York Film Festival, Times critic Nora Sayre praised it as being "something very good" and "possibly the hit of the festival". Variety praised the film's plot for its "speed and life" while acknowledging that it can be confusing. Variety felt the best parts of the movie were the scenes between Mabuse and Von Wenk. Variety praised several of the acting performances but felt Klein-Rogge was too small to be fully effective in the role, and praised some of Lang's technical effects while criticizing the overlong intertitles. Time Out criticized the film for its "disorganised and erratically paced" narrative and "shaky" grasp of social reality but praised its "flashes of inspiration". Entertainment Weekly reviewer Tim Purtell rated the film an A−, comparing the titular villain to those in the James Bond and Mission Impossible movies. Purtell particularly praised the "sharp" plot turns, "stunning visuals" and Klein-Rogge's performance. Film review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 93%, based on , with a rating average of 7.5/10. Akira Kurosawa, the legendary Japanese director, named this movie as one of his 100 favorite films. References External links 1922 films 1920s thriller films 1920s dystopian films German thriller films Films of the Weimar Republic German silent feature films Films directed by Fritz Lang Films with screenplays by Thea von Harbou Films with screenplays by Fritz Lang German black-and-white films Police detective films Films set in Germany Films about gambling Babelsberg Studio films Dr. Mabuse films Films about hypnosis German dystopian films Films produced by Erich Pommer Films released in separate parts Films shot at Tempelhof Studios German Expressionist films Silent mystery films Silent thriller films 1920s German films