What 1920 German expressionist silent film is set in a mental asylum?

The 1920 German expressionist silent film set largely in a mental asylum is The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Directed by Robert Wiene, it follows the mysterious Dr. Caligari, a somnambulist named Cesare, and a series of murders that unfold in a world of distorted perspective and jagged painted scenery.

The film is one of the defining works of German Expressionism. Its sharply angled streets, warped buildings, heavy shadows, and unnaturally shaped interiors visualize fear and psychological instability rather than attempting realistic locations. The story is framed through the memories of Francis, and its closing revelation complicates the viewer's understanding of who is sane and who has authority.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari is often confused with Nosferatu or Metropolis because all three are major German silent films. Their settings and genres differ, however: Nosferatu is a vampire horror film, while Metropolis is a futuristic science-fiction drama. Caligari's asylum setting, unreliable perspective, and expressionist design make it especially influential on later psychological horror and film noir.