Andrea Schober Movies
- 1977
In this scandalous film, footage from Marlene Dietrich's early films is combined with documentary footage of Adolf Hitler, along with newly filmed dramatic re-enactments, suggesting that Dietrich was Hitler's secret mistress. Dietrich brought the filmmaker to court to prevent the release of this film, though it was quietly screened at the Cannes Film Festival before anything was resolved. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Kurt Raab, Margit Carstensen, (more)
- 1977
This children's story tells of Willi (Giovanni Widmann), a backward young lad who has not been able to learn to read and write. As a consequence, he has been put in a "special" school. He gets to travel with a touring theatrical group that does commedia dell'arte performances. Because he sees that reading and writing is very important to these people, whom he loves and admires, he manages to learn to read completely on his own, surprising everyone. It is heartwarming to note that in real life, the film's director "adopted" a gypsy boy for the duration of the making of this movie: he was having the same difficulty in reading as the boy in the story, and he also taught himself to read while no one was looking, precisely as in the story. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
Angela is the crippled daughter of two separated but still-feuding parents. In this Rainer Werner Fassbinder film, the wealthy parents are both induced to come to their country vacation house with their lovers in tow. For years, they have tried to make Angela feel guilty for having driven them to seek comfort outside their marriage, though ironically there is some indication that their dalliances may have had a hand in the accident that caused her condition. In this unpleasant milieu, they begin playing a truth-telling game called "Chinese Roulette," which leads to even more distasteful revelations and recriminations.. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Margit Carstensen, Ulli Lommel, (more)
Rainer Werner Fassbinder's adaptation of a late 19th-century novel by Theodor Fontane is an austere period piece that may be the least characteristic of the German director's films. The titular heroine, played by Fassbinder regular Hanna Schygulla, is a 17-year-old girl forced into a loveless marriage with an old count. Living as the aristocrat's trophy wife, Effi endures her provincial existence unhappily. Her circumstances lead to a brief affair with a young lieutenant that attracts the attention of the townspeople, but not her unsuspecting husband's. Years later, however, the count discovers the love letters between his wife and her lover. As dictated by convention, he challenges the lieutenant to a duel and throws his wife out of their home. The shamed Effi is forced to live by herself, shunned by society and spurned by her family. Effi eventually returns to her unsympathetic parents, who reluctantly take in their disgraced daughter. ~ Elbert Ventura, Rovi
Der Händler der vier Jahreszeiten (The Merchant of Four Seasons) is about the deterioration of a man's soul. Fruit vendor Hans (Hans Hirschmüller) cannot please his family. His mother harps on his failures. His wife is openly discontent. He must peddle produce to his beloved ex-girlfriend, and he is mocked by his customers for being shorter and fatter than his wife. He is withdrawn, crushed, and humiliated. He turns to drinking and violence, but his rage causes his wife and daughter to leave him. While desperately begging for their return, Hans suffers a debilitating heart attack. His family comes back, but Hans is unable to work and must hire help for his fruit stand. Hans' first employee is his wife's ex-lover, whom he fires for embezzling. He then hires a friend and hero from his legionnaire days, Harry (Klaus Löwitsch), out of pity. Harry is hardworking, diligent, and clever. He turns Hans' business around and enlivens his home life. Harry's success also begins to displace Hans -- with his fruit stand, with his wife, and even with his child. Hans becomes useless, a nothing -- exactly what his mother, his wife, and those around him set him up to be. ~ Aubry Anne D'Arminio, Rovi
