Which 1929 German silent film, directed by G. W. Pabst, is also known as Pandora’s Box?

Die Büchse der Pandora is the German title of G. W. Pabst’s 1929 silent film known in English as Pandora’s Box.

The film is a German expressionist-era drama adapted from plays by Frank Wedekind, especially Earth Spirit and Pandora’s Box. It stars Louise Brooks as Lulu, a charismatic figure whose relationships and social circumstances lead to catastrophe. The film is now regarded as one of the important works of late silent cinema.

Pabst’s production is not a direct screen retelling of Hesiod’s ancient Greek myth. Instead, its title and themes draw on the Pandora tradition while presenting a modern story of desire, scandal, class, and social judgment. That distinction is important because the film is often grouped with myth-inspired works even though its plot centers on Wedekind’s Lulu.

The original German title translates literally as “Pandora’s box.” English-language references commonly retain the German title or use Pandora’s Box, making the film identifiable under both names.