Satana (1912)

After the defeat of the rebel angels, Satan is sent to earth. Unable to reascend, he prepares to work his evil machinations on mankind. He begins immediately after the creation, tempting Adam and Eve, and causing them to sin. Having accomplished so much, he drives mankind to evil by teaching Cain and Abel to wield weapons, whereupon the first tragedy is enacted in the slaying of Abel by Cain, and sows the discontent that results in war. Nimrod, with the first sword manufactured, slays his father, and Cain carries off his daughter. Satan advises Nimrod to punish the woman, and through his evil promptings, the offering up of human sacrifice begins. Later the coming of the Messiah to Satan is a sight physically unbearable. The Evil One increases his activities, and is seen at work among the soldiers of Herod. His particular instrument, however, is Judas Iscariot, whom he entices to betray his Master. Great is the joy of Satan when the Savior is crucified, and greater still is his discomfiture as Jesus again walks forth into the light. Later, in a monastic laboratory, he teaches a weak-willed monk named Gerbert the art of distilling liquor from a herb, thereby inflicting upon the human race the curse of drink. Gerbert shows his delight at the discovery, and calls forth his brother monks to partake of the refreshing but accursed liquor, and turns the monastery of good work into a workshop of evil. Mephisto's work during the medieval period is then taken up. His gradual development of the temptations of life that have been handed down to us is skillfully portrayed. The inevitable consequence of the immoderate use of money and wine are shown in a way that teaches a great lesson. The latter portion of the film deals with Satan at work among the peoples of modern times. While many of the sins of early days still continue with us, the spirit of evil has developed quite a number of new ones, and the great Steel King is seen as an agent of the devil, wrecking the lives of women and workers.