Next to Notorious, this is probably his best work. It isn't at all gimmicky or unbelievable (someone will hate me for this, but see The Birds and you'll understand what I mean.)

This is the perfect reintroduction of German Cinema after the atrocities of WWII; the guilt and existential crisis that was surely felt all over is so very, very well portrayed in this work. While it isn't perfect, it is the perfect beginning to the Neue Deutsche Kino, and is also an excellent personal introduction to the movement.