Complex sentence: The film's ownership reverted to Murnau's mother Ottilie Plumpe distribution rights lapsed in the mid 1930s and the original negative was returned to Germany, where it was destroyed during World War II. In 1940 Plumpe sold the worldwide distribution rights to Rowalnd and Samuel Brown.
Split into simpler sentences: The film's ownership reverted to Murnau's mother Ottilie Plumpe after distribution rights lapsed in the mid 1930s. The original negative was returned to Germany, where it was destroyed during World War II. In 1940 Plumpe sold the worldwide distribution rights to Rowland and Samuel Brown.