Fan CastingThe Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried

This non-musical movie version of the third story of Richard Wagner’s Ring cycle concerns Siegfried, the son of Siegmund and Sieglinde, who died giving birth to him. Having been raised by Mime, the brother of the Nibelung dwarf Alberich, Siegfried reforges the shattered remains of his father Siegmund’s sword, Nothung, which he uses to kill Fafner, a giant who has turned himself into a dragon with a magic helmet called the Tarnhelm and is guarding the magic ring, which Alberich had forged years before (along with a hoard of gold and the Tarnhelm). However, upon learning that Mime intends to kill Siegfried and take the ring for himself, the boy kills the dwarf. As the hero who knows no fear, Siegfried is able to penetrate the magic circle of fire surrounding the former Valkyrie Brünnhilde, who had been put to sleep as punishment by her father, Wotan, and can be awakened only by a fearless hero. With a kiss, Siegfried awakens her, and the two fall in love.