There is a subtle, yet nevertheless disturbing moment from a barber in Fritz Lang's "Fury." As he is shaving one of his customers throats, he begins discussing the fine line between civilized behaviour and the urge to do something transgressive. Although the character may appear perfectly innocent, he admits that, on multiple occasions, he has had the urge to brutally murder some of his customers. There's no apparent motivation, he just has an urge for violence. Initially, this passage may seem just like a comical interlude but if you consider Lang's filmography, this inconsequential scene could epitomize Lang's cynical principles. In virtually all his films, Lang has presented audience with a brutally bitter and cynical view of humanity where the concept of 'civilized' is fraught with ambiguity. "Fury," a film which functions as a cold and powerful indictment of mob violence, undeniably continues Lang's trend of challenging the notion of civilized humanity by showing the tragic consequences that occur when a mob is possessed by a belief that is completely based on fiction and irrationality. Unfortunately, "Fury" still shares a powerful resonance with the modern world and is the fundamental reason why it's still relevant and disturbing. As we watch on and see the joyful and satisfied faces of the mob harming the innocent because they believe they are morally justified, we cannot help but see the similarities to recent media imagery that evokes the exact same sentiment. Individuals, who being possessed by an irrational ideology, seem perfectly free of guilt and remorse when committing violence against perfectly innocent people - so much for a civilized society. Lang, who made the film in 1936 with most likely the intention of using his film to stop such behaviour, would turn in his grave knowing that "Fury" still shares an obvious connection to the modern world.
