A grown man, barely able to walk or talk, appears suddenly in the town square of Nuremberg, Germany in 1828, clutching a letter that claims his name is Kaspar. His origins are shrouded in mystery, but it seems that he has been imprisoned without human contact since childhood. Kaspar learns to speak, and some attempt is made to integrate him into society, but even though he is puzzled over and examined by a series of learned minds – some sympathetic, some hostile – he seems to defy explanation.
Featuring a mesmerising performance by non-actor Bruno S. in the lead role, The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser is a film of great poetic and philosophical resonance, told with remarkable care and sensitivity by Werner Herzog.
