Bittere Ernte (1985) Reviews

Bittere Ernte (1985)
Member Rating:  
This West German film was first released in 1985 under the title Bittere Ernte. Armin-Mueller Stahl plays a Polish farmer living under the wartime Nazi occupation. Stahl isn't too offended at the prospect of answering to the Germans; in fact, he has profited by confiscating the property of his neighbor, a wealthy Jew. His conscience doesn't disturb him until a starving Jewish woman (Elisabeth Trissenaar) stumbles onto his property. At first Stahl shelters her, but his baser instincts surface; she is in no position to refuse when he ultimately rapes her. She even comes to fall in love with Stahl--and kills herself when another woman moves in with him. Stahl survives the war with health and wealth intact, only mildly disturbed by the misery he has caused. This Oscar-nominated film was to have been lensed in director Agnieszka Holland's native Poland; upon the imposition of martial law, production was switched to Sweden. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Starring:
Armin Mueller-Stahl, Elisabeth Trissenaar, (more)
Director(s):
Agnieszka Holland
Format(s):
DVD
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Average Ratings

(9 member reviews)  

Member Reviews

Glen D.

Heartbreaking movie and interesting to watch. Not hard to understand the extremes people were placed into back during WW2.

Yes   |   No


Alex G.

Ms. Holland (Europa, Europa) directs this film with firm hand, probably based on personal knowledge of Holocaust. Tough and uncompromising look at Poles' involvement with Jewish survival under Nazi occupation. Recommended viewing for mature viewers.

Yes   |   No


MONIKA F.

A movie certainly worthwhile watching. One cannot help but feel compassion for both main characters. Sad to say that apparently some viewers' main focus was on the "sex scenes", obviously "missing" the entire movie altogether. There was neither good or bad, just two people whose lives changed in an instant and a chain of circumstances creating a co-dependency that neither of them could escape. Just goes to show how cruel fate can be at times.

Yes   |   No


Tom S.

Good plot + excellent acting + drama = very good movie. Illustrates how the pressures of wartime and the will to survive can influence people's behavior to take risks and do things they wouldn't ordinarily do. I highly recommend this movie. Tom Soboleski

Yes   |   No


Terry A.

Outstanding fim; incredibly well-acted. A different type of Holocaust story in that there are no good guys/bad guys -- just intensely human reactions of a shameful time in history. The two leads were frighteningly real. Deserved the Oscar -- was nominated for Best Foreign Film. English subtitles were not at all distracting.

Yes   |   No


Ulrike F.

Fantastic acting. The movie shows how extrem it was living under the Nazi regime. Put extreme characters on top of that and you have a compassionate movie.

Yes   |   No


William S.

This movie was a fascinating insight into the angst and moral dilemmas imposed by the holocaust. The german writer and director was very interested in capturing the german middle class perspective of the final solution. The unusual aspect of this film is the depiction of the nonchalance with which the germans viewed the mass murder of Jews.

Yes   |   No


Douglas G.

Young children and teens do not need to see this movie - the explicit sex scenes were a turn off for us since they didn't add anything to the story line or character development. The rest of the movie is somewhat of a comic tragedy - bad things happen to good people, good things happen to bad people, and there is confusion as to who is good and who is bad. Definitely shows the desperate measures people are drawn into during desperate times - and the ability of our neighbors (and possibly ourselves) to act in despicable, horrible ways toward those who are in need of help. This movie speaks of the selfishness of humanity and the depravity of mankind - it becomes obvious that we are in need of redemption from ourselves. If there were mention of the explicit sexual situations I would recommend this movie to others - be warned, it's bad... but it's good.

Yes   |   No


Thao H.

this disc is super damage, could not play

Yes   |   No


 
 
 

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    Member Reviews
    Read all (9)
     
    Glen D.

    Heartbreaking movie and interesting to watch. Not hard to understand the extremes people were placed into back during WW2.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Alex G.

    Ms. Holland (Europa, Europa) directs this film with firm hand, probably based on personal knowledge of Holocaust. Tough and uncompromising look at Poles' involvement with Jewish survival under Nazi occupation. Recommended viewing for mature viewers.

    Yes   |   No

     
    MONIKA F.

    A movie certainly worthwhile watching. One cannot help but feel compassion for both main characters. Sad to say that apparently some viewers' main focus was on the "sex scenes", obviously "missing" the entire movie altogether. There was neither good or bad, just two people whose lives changed in an instant and a chain of circumstances creating a co-dependency that neither of them could escape. Just goes to show how cruel fate can be at times.

    Yes   |   No

     
    Read All 9 Reviews
       

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