»Engineer Dell’Ara’s amazing invention consists of a machine in human form built out of pure steel and extremely resistant. The electric mechanism is operated by the influence of Hertzian waves. From his laboratory, via a series of handles, the inventor can communicate to his monster, both near and far, a terrifying strength, an incalculable speed and – if necessary – render him uncatchable due to the electrical charges that can emanate from his body. In short, a truly infernal invention.«
– André Deed. Notes on the character of the »Artificial Man« – when that was still the working title – in the first draft of the screenplay now archived at the Museo Nazionale del Cinema di Torino.

An unknown woman (Valentina Frascaroli) gets control of this robot which can run faster than a car drive. From the control panel, she directs the machine to a large fancy-dress ball where the initial enthusiasm of the guests soon turns to horror …. Only the final roll of L’uomo meccanico has survived, amounting to about a third of overall footage. But we get to see the furious ending with the deranged woman in the laboratory remote-controlling the robot.
In 1921, director André Deed returned to Milan from France to shoot L’uomo meccanico as the sequel to Il documento humano. As with the first part of the film, Deed triple-dutied as author, scriptwriter and director as well as acting at the side of his wife: Valentina Frascaroli.