Hans Albers stars as Werner Holk, an engineer who is working with Professor Achenbach (Friedrich Kabler) on a machine that will turn lead into gold. When an "accident" occurs that costs the Professor his life, Holk swears vengeance, and determines that the mastermind behind the sabotage was Scottish millionaire John Wills (Michael Bohnen), who has his own rival group working on the same machine. Wills actually hires Holk on to help make his machine a success, and while at first Holk is determined to destroy Wills' effort from within, when Holk meets Wills' daughter Florence (Brigitte Helm) he begins to second guess his mission. Also featuring Ernst Karchow, Lien Deyers, and Eberhard Leithoff.
This was one of UFA's biggest productions, and no expense was spared constructing the vast set containing the alchemical machine. Footage of the apparatus was later reused in The Magnetic Monster (1953). Despite the spectacle, this movie is at heart a drama about revenge, a rumination on science run amok, and a low-key if effective romance. Albers, an actor I was largely unfamiliar with, is very good. He was Germany's biggest star from 1930-1945, and is often referred to as "Germany's John Wayne". He wasn't a Nazi and never a sympathizer with their cause, but he was embraced by the regime, and when the war ended his career basically went with it, although he later had several smaller, character parts. Brigitte Helm, most famous for Metropolis, is also good as the rich man's daughter who has everything but love in her life.
