Lili Marleen (1981)
- Starring:
- Hanna Schygulla, Giancarlo Giannini, (more)
- Director(s):
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
Synopsis of Lili Marleen
Inspired a song that was extremely popular with the German soldiers during WW II, this fictional story begins in 1938 while Wilkie Bunterberg (Hanna Schygulla), a third-tier cabaret singer, performs in a Zurich nightclub. It is her boyfriend, a Swiss Jew who also turns out to be a resistance fighter who pens her the famous song Lili Marleen. She sings it in Germany and it becomes a hit with the German troops. As a result, Hitler himself invites her to perform for him. This does not set well with the songwriter's powerful who, upon learning that Marleen has become a famed singer in Germany, seek to have her barred from Switzerland. This does not stop the songwriter from loving her though and desperate to see her one last time, he sneaks into Berlin for a tryst. Unfortuantely he is arrested and she gets blacklisted. They do not see each other again until after the war. By this time, their lives have changed considerably. This is not considered among the best of Fassbinder's best films. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
Complete Cast of Lili Marleen
- Hanna Schygulla - Wilkie Bunterberg
- Mel Ferrer - David Mendelsson
- Christine Kaufmann - Miriam
- Karin Baal - Anna Lederer
- Erik Schumann - von Strehlow
- Elisabeth Volkmann - Marika
- Helen Vita - Grete
- Willy Harlander - Prosel
- Lilo Pempeit - Tamara
- Rudolf Lenz - Dr. Glaubrecht
- Sonja Neudorfer - Mrs. Buerli
- Juergen Draeger - Journalist
- Daniel Schmid - Doorman
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder - Guenter Weissenborn Rainer
- Brigitte Mira - Neighbor
- Irm Hermann - Nurse
- Peter Chatel - SA man
- Dirk Galuba - 4th SD man
- Giancarlo Giannini - Robert Mendelsson
- Karl-Heinz von Hassel - Henkel
- Hark Bohm - Tascher
- Udo Kier - Drewitz
- Gottfried John - Aaron
- Barbara Valentin - Eva
- Adrian Hoven - Ginsberg
- Rainer Will - Bernt
- Alexander Allerson - Goedecke
- Herb Andress - Reintgen
- Toni Netzle - Mrs. Prosel
- Raul Gimenez - Blonsky
- Michael McLernon - Swiss officer
- Herbert Steinmetz - Doctor
- Harry Baer - Norbert Schultze
- Franz Buchrieser - Thorne
- Roger Fritz - Kauffmann
- Director(s):
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder
- Writer(s):
- Joshua Sinclair, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Manfred Purzer
- Producer(s):
- Enzo Peri, Luggi Waldleitner
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Not For Children, Nudity)
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