The Magician (1926)

Starring Alice Terry, Paul Wegener, Firmin Gemier, Ivan Petrovich, Gladys Hamer
Directed by Rex Ingram
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

After a terrible accident that injures her spine, a beautiful sculptress falls in love with her doctor after he saves her from being crippled, but a sinister magician also has designs on her.

Ingram's silent horror film hasn't had the reputation of classics like The Phantom Of The Opera or Nosferatu, but is still worth checking out for its dark imagery and hero-heroine-villain triangle which continues to be echoed in horror films up to the current day.  Wegener is well-cast as the villainous magician, as with his close-set eyes and giant face, he has a formidable screen visage, which served him well when playing the titular creature in The Golem.  The film is based on a story by English author W. Somerset Maugham, who per Wikipedia is probably best known for Of Human Bondage and The Razor's Edge.

The Golem (1920)

Starring Paul Wegener, Albert Steinruck, Lyda Salmonova, Ernst Deutsch, Hans Sturm
Directed by Carl Boese & Paul Wegener
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

This silent film is a retelling of the ancient Jewish legend of the Golem, a clay statue which was constructed and brought to life by a rabbi in order to save his people.

An often-filmed story with themes familiar to horror movie fans past and present, the story of the Golem is memorably presented here, with quality lighting, makeup, and art direction.  Wegener, who also co-directed the film, excels in portraying a realistic artificial man, with stiff walking movements and limited facial expressions, but also allows us to see a yearning in his eyes for something more.  The film's special effects are also impressive, ranging from blinking stars, to a crumbling palace, to the conjuring of the demon Astaroth.  It's an exciting and well-paced picture that holds up well today.