Bernd Eichinger Movies

Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Vol. 1: The Ancestors - Early Cultures of North America portrays America's original inhabitants. The film begins with a segment on the massacre at Wounded Knee, then flashes back in time for a look at the Anasazis, as well as the early cultures of Mesa Verde and Cahokia. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide

Hosted by Kevin Costner and narrated by Gregory Harrison, the historical documentary 500 Nations, Vol. 3: Clash of Cultures - The People Who Met Columbus is part of an eight-part series that portrays America's original inhabitants. The film provides an in-depth look at Columbus' arrival in the New World, the conquering of Caribbean nations by the Spaniards, and Hernando de Soto's conquests in Florida and the Mississippi Valley. ~ Kathleen Wildasin, All Movie Guide

This documentary is part of an eight part series that explores the story of the First Americans. The series is produced and hosted by Kevin Costner. In this episode, the origins and development of the French and Indian War are examined. The English and French fought for economic control of the New World. Native Americans had established trade with the French, and took their part in the war against England. When the French were defeated, the tribal forces were left without allies. Set on location, with computer re-creations,that story is told. Of great interest is the look at the oldest democracy on the North American continent: that of the Haudenosaunee -or Iroquois- Nation. Their leader was Pontiac, a man that Benjamin Franklin came to admire. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

This documentary is part seven in an eight part series, produced by Kevin Costner, on the First Americans. This episode examines the fate of the Plains Indians, with the arrival of white invaders during the gold rushes in California and Colorado. The Sioux, or Lakota, Nation is particularly noted for its resistance to incursions by white settlers and to mining claims on native land. Sitting Bull, of the Hunkpapa Lokota, and Crazy Horse, of the Oglala Sioux, were two leaders revered then and today for their bravery in seeking an end to European American aggression. They and their peoples fought and defeated General George Custer at the Little Bighorn. The film chronicles the struggle of their resistance and hardship, and subsequent capture, betrayal, death, and displacement of their people onto reservations. Poignant excerpts from the writings of Indian leaders are read by actors Patrick Stewart, Edward James Olmos, and Wes Studi. ~ Rose of Sharon Winter, All Movie Guide

A remake of the highly-regarded 1958 film Das Maedchen Rosemarie (released as Rosemary in the U.S.), this fact-based drama follows the rise and fall of a German beauty who went from ex-convict to courtesan of some of Germany's most powerful men to the victim of an unsolved murder. The story begins in 1952 as Rosemarie sleeps her way into an early parole from a detention center. Newly freed, she is sent to a foster home where two years later, the buxom blonde runs away to Frankfurt where she starts living with Nadler, a charming small-time crook. Two years after that, Rosemarie is selling her body in a sleazy bar. One day she brings home a wealthy businessman who agrees to become her sugar daddy. As a result, Rosemarie leaves Nadler. The arrangement works out well, and she continues to entertain important clients. Her undoing comes in the form of a wealthy Frenchman who makes her an enticing, but ultimately dangerous offer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

One of Germany's most important female directors, Doris Dörrie chose the subject of the universal quest for happiness for the film Bin ich Schön?. Set in Spain and Germany, the film interlaces individual stories of broken hearts and broken dreams with aspirations of new beginnings. On a hot afternoon in Spain, Linda is standing beside the road wearing a thin summer dress and carrying a handbag. A car stops and Werner, a robust-looking German, picks her up. She shows him a note which says, "I am deaf-mute and in need of your help." Werner is touched. As they move off together, Linda throws her handbag out of the window. In a near-by motel, Klaus is on the phone to Munich trying to convince his reluctant girlfriend Franziska to come down to Spain. Linda and Werner have checked into the next room where Werner is asking Linda to hit him with his belt. Plots and subplots intertwine until the film reaches a climax during a religious procession. In an ironic way, the film celebrates life with a message that life is here today and then it's gone. No beginning, no end and enjoy it while you can. Bin ich schön? was screened as part of the New German Films at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide

Helmed by director Uli Edel, this West German coming-of-age drama is the tale of an aimless teen-aged girl, played by Natja Brunkhorst. In search of kicks, Brunkhorst falls in with junkie/pusher Thomas Haustein. Christiane F boasts a generous chunk of concert footage featuring David Bowie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This German farce has fun parodying the local filmmaking industry and some its more popular stars as it tells the riotous tale of a neglected, lonely Munich housewife who writes a tawdry best-selling account of her sexual past. The situation begins when Franziska, the wife tires of hanging around the house raising two mischievous children while her husband the television director gallivants to far-flung locales sleeping with every actress in sight. She has a conversation with an understanding lawyer and through miscommunication ends up launching divorce proceedings. It is the lawyer who advises her to write down her erotic history. Later, an old high school flame turned publisher sees her manuscript and suggests she publish it as an erotic novel using a pseudonym. Things go swimmingly until her husband buys the film rights and decides to turn it into a trashy movie. This film was extremely popular in Germany. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

It's said that love can change a man, but one woman finds herself wondering just how powerful love might be in this comedy. Cora Dulz (Corinna Harfouch) is a psychiatrist who begins working with Stanislaus Nagy (Til Schweiger), a good looking but mysterious man who is obsessed with the late operatic diva Maria Callas -- and claims to have been her mentor during the height of her career. Not surprisingly, Nagy admits he has a hard time separating truth from fiction, but for reasons even Dulz finds hard, she finds herself fascinated with her new patient, to the extent of following Nagy after appointments and pursuing a romance with him. As things look to become more serious between Nagy and Dulz, he decides to make a little confession to her -- he wasn't really Callas' mentor. Instead, Nagy announces, he is actually Satan himself, and Callas was the result of a project in which he attempted to create the perfect woman. Nagy's relationship with Callas was a failure, however, and he's decided he wants to give up his career as the Lord of Darkness and instead live out his days as a mortal man. In order to do that, Nagy would need to find a mortal woman willing to take his hand -- would Dulz be at all interested? ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Greta Scacchi plays a famous feminist activist, while Vincent D'Onofrio portrays a humble Scots fisherman in this film from director Andrew Birkin. Despite the obvious ideological chasm between them, the two fall in love. The couple spend the rest of the film running away from commitment, only to be reunited at every turn. Salt on Our Skin is also known under the title Desire. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a true story, this film tells of an unlikely love affair. While in prison, Martin (Jürgen Prochnow) falls in love with the son of one of his guards. After he leaves prison, he becomes a professional actor. When the young man runs away from home to join him, he is captured and placed in a juvenile correction home. Society's attempts to straighten the boy out nearly kill him and leave unnecessary physical and mental scars which he will bear for life. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

The last ten days of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime are seen through the eyes of a young woman in his employ in this historical drama from Germany. Traudl Junge (Alexandra Maria Lara) was 22 years old when, in the fall of 1942, she was hired to be personal secretary to Adolf Hitler (Bruno Ganz). In April of 1945, Junge was still working for Hitler as forces were bearing down on Germany and the leader retreated to a secret bunker in Berlin for what would prove to be the last ten days of his life, as well as that of the Third Reich. As Hitler's mistress Eva Braun (Juliane Köhler) attempts to throw a cheerful birthday party for her man, Hitler's closest associates, including Heinrich Himmler (Ulrich Noethen), Joseph Goebbels (Ulrich Matthes), and Albert Speer (Heino Ferch), urge him to flee the city with only Goebbels maintaining any illusions that the Third Reich has any hope of survival. Hitler refuses to leave Berlin, and he spends his final days ranting and raving to Junge, blaming all around him as he tries to understand where his leadership went wrong. Meanwhile, Goebbels and his wife round up their six children and bring them to the bunker as Berlin begins to topple, determined to take their lives rather than face the Allies after Germany's certain defeat. Der Untergang (aka The Downfall) was based in part on the memoirs of the real-life Traudl Junge, whose experiences also formed the basis of the 2002 documentary Im Toten Winkel: Hitlers Sekretarin (aka Blind Spot: Hitler's Secretary). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide