What's in Caligari's Cabinet? Trivia Quiz

Answer: German

Intertitles for a silent movie are usually in the local language where it's shown, but it's hard to replace items within a scene. A wanted poster, a sign identifying a building, and a newspaper are among the German-language items that appear in the film. The original title was "Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari".

Answer: A carnival showman

When we first see Caligari, played by Werner Krauss, he applies for permission to open a tent at the town carnival. He then sets up his exhibit, featuring Cesare, and invites the public in.

Answer: The town clerk

When Caligari applies for his carnival permit, the town clerk is a bit rude to him, and he's clearly annoyed even though he gets the permit. Not long after, the clerk is murdered. Coincidence?

Answer: Everything is at odd angles.

The scenery in "Caligari" is unforgettable, with buildings, bridges, and everything else at bizarre angles. It's as if insanity has pervaded everything. And maybe it has...

Answer: He is perpetually asleep or sleepwalking.

Cesare is described as a "somnambulist", but that doesn't mean an ordinary sleepwalker. Most of the time he is asleep. When Caligari wakens him, he is in a trance-like state, apparently not responsible for his actions. He does whatever Caligari tells him to. In one scene, Caligari spoon-feeds the sleeping Cesare, and there are other signs Caligari has paternal feelings for him.

Conrad Veidt is probably best known to modern audiences for his role as Nazi Major Strasser in "Casablanca".

Answer: He will live only until morning.

At the carnival, Caligari invites the audience to ask Cesare questions. Alan asks how long he will live, and Cesare answers, "Until dawn tomorrow." Alan laughs it off, but the prediction proves correct when Alan is murdered. This makes his friend Francis determined to find out who's responsible for the stabbings.

Answer: He keeps a dummy that appears to be Cesare sleeping.

While Cesare is out on his nefarious errands, Caligari puts a dummy look-alike into a coffin-like box in his house, so anyone looking in the window will think he's sleeping there. The alibi works only if someone peeps through the window, but fortunately for Caligari, that happens.

Answer: He abducts her instead of killing her.

Cesare sneaks up on the sleeping Jane and raises a knife. But then he has an attack of compassion and doesn't try to kill her. He apparently also has an attack of lust, because he picks her up and carries her away. A crowd pursues him. With all that sleeping, he's out of shape, and the exertion gives him a fatal heart attack.

Answer: An insane asylum

Francis and the police enter Caligari's house and find the "sleeping" Cesare is a fake, so Caligari takes off and is pursued. He enters a building with a sign that says in German, "Irrenanstalt", which means "insane asylum". In some editions of the movie, an on-screen translation is provided, as this is an important plot point.

Answer: Caligari

The character who's been calling himself Dr. Caligari isn't the first Caligari. His obsession with sleepwalkers led him to emulate a supposed historical Caligari, even adopting the name. In a flashback scene, we see him surrounded by the repeated words "Du musst Caligari werden" ("You must become Caligari"), as if voices in his head are commanding him.

The words are always in German, since replacing them while keeping the style would require difficult changes to the frames.