Metropolis

London: Hutchinson & Co, [1927]. First edition. Cloth. Very Good Indeed. 7.5" by 5". Not Stated. The first Hutchinson edition of this important sci-fi novel, the first English language edition to have plates showing scenes from the monumental film. An uncommon first Hutchinson edition, also being the first English language film tie-in edition, with plates from the 1927 hit film.Illustrated with a frontispiece, and three plates, depicting scenes of the film. The frontispiece shows Brigitte Helm, who portrayed the Maria and the robot Futura in the film.'Metropolis' is a monumental 1925 science fiction novel by Thea von Harbou, set in a technologically advanced city. The tale is one of clashing classes who are struggling to co-exist, the exploited class living underground, the better off class living on the surface of the world.This novel was based on Harbou and Fritz Lang's screenplay for the film, a collaboration between the married couple which would be released in 1927. The couple wrote the screenplay together, then Harbou wrote and published this novel with the sole purpose of it being made into a film. Production on the film began before the book had been published.The film, a German expressionist silent film, was a pioneering production, and was one of the first feature length sci-fi films. To this day it is considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films ever made. Filming took seventeen months to complete, and cost more than five million Reichsmarks, about eighteen million pounds today.Collated, complete.One leaf of adverts after the list of plates, promoting Hutchinson's 'New Famous Film Editions'. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, smart, with very light rubbing to the joints and extremities. A few minor marks to the boards and spine. Light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are age-toned and clean. Very Good Indeed