The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser

Back in cinemas to celebrate its 50th anniversary, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is a film of great poetic and philosophical resonance. Based on the remarkable true story of the foundling Kaspar Hauser, it 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.