The English title of the 1929 German film directed by Georg Wilhelm Pabst and starring Louise Brooks is Pandora’s Box. Its German title is Die Büchse der Pandora.
The film is a silent-era drama adapted from Frank Wedekind’s plays Earth Spirit and Pandora’s Box. Brooks plays Lulu, a charismatic figure whose relationships and choices drive the tragic story. Her performance became one of the defining screen roles of the late silent period.
Pabst’s film is not a literal presentation of the ancient Greek myth. Its title uses Pandora’s name as a metaphor for desire, scandal, social repression, and consequences that cannot easily be contained. The connection is thematic rather than a direct retelling of Hesiod.
The film is also frequently discussed for Brooks’s distinctive bobbed hairstyle and for its later restoration and critical rehabilitation. It is separate from other works called Pandora’s Box, including stage productions, music releases, and later films.