Dr. Mabuse (Wolfgang Preiss) is a genius yet ruthless underworld leader who used hypnotic suggestion and mental telepathy to commit crimes. Eventually he was captured and has been locked away in an insane asylum under the direction of Professor Pohland (Walter Rilla). Mabuse spends his days writing and drawing various plans for new and elaborate crimes.
Recently there have been several major burglaries. An armored truck containing a shipment of gold was seized. Then a diamond exchange was robbed. A plan is also in place to create counterfeit money. The semi-leader of the gang is Mortimer (Charles Regnier). He instructs a crew of minions and reports to a shadowy figure that appears in silhouette in their underground hideout. The crimes are well planned. Mortimer hires a new man for the crew, Jonny Briggs (Helmut Schmid). Jonny is a former boxer whose career was sabotaged by one of Mortimer’s minions. Jonny is unaware that Mortimer is responsible for his downfall. Jonny’s girlfriend, Nelly (Senta Berger), who wasn’t happy that Jonny was a boxer, is even less happy with Jonny’s mysterious new job. Jonny does what he can to keep her from finding out that he is a hired thug.
Commissioner Lohmann (Gert Frobe) believes that the recent crime wave is somehow connected to Dr. Mabuse. Pohland assures Lohmann that Mabuse is insane and quite harmless. Lohmann still believes that Mabuse is mixed up in things but has no proof. Lohmann is contacted by a disgraced police officer, Flocke (Leon Askin) who says he has information about the crime spree. Lohmann refuses to listen to him but when Flocke is murdered he leaves a cryptic message scratched into the glass of a telephone booth. The only word written is the word “Mabuse”. Lohmann now knows he is on the right track, but proving his theory will be difficult.
When Jonny decides he wants out of the gang, he ends up landing himself and Nelly in the crosshairs of Mabuse.
“The Terror of Dr. Mabuse” AKA “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse” AKA “Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse” was released in 1962 and was directed by Werner Klingler. It is a West German mystery thriller and a krimi. It is the sixth Dr. Mabuse film and the fourth in the krimi series of Mabuse films. The Dr. Mabuse character was created by Norbert Jacques.
The film is basically a reboot of the Fritz Lang version of “The Testament of Dr. Mabuse” 1933 with elements added from “The Return of Dr. Mabuse” 1961 but with some updates and changes. It was an OK film but nowhere near as good as the original Lang version of the story or as good as some of the other Mabuse or krimi films. Still, on the plus side is some interesting dark and atmospheric cinematography that make the film well worth watching.
Comic relief is provided by Harald Juhnke as Lohmann’s assistant, Kruger. Fortunately, his role is a small one. The highlight of the film is the nonchalant attitude brought by Charles Regnier as Mabuse’s right hand man, Mortimer.