Flight scene from F. W. Murnau’s “Faust” (1926) was a cutting-edge cinematic spectacle of the time. It was a high budget film and elaborate models were built for this scene.

An interesting and personal side story makes the flight, breathtaking as it is (especially viewed in cinema), a bit more special. Murnau served as a combat pilot for Germany in World War I. According to historical accounts he was an excellent pilot and loved to fly. Considering that, and the fact that in 1926 very few people actually experienced flying, it seems director’s background helped to make the scene both breathtaking and realistic.