In a move away from his apparently casual use of contemporary French settings, Rohmer presents this German costume drama, a faithful adaptation of Heinrich von Kleist’s novella. While echoing Kleist’s ironic standpoint on the absurd severities of convention, Rohmer quite justifiably distances himself from the period. Emoting with hieratic gestures inappropriate to their rigidly suppresed inner feelings and desires, his characters are gently and exquisitely funny. Yet by the same token, evolving against simple, uncluttered backgrounds that contrive to suggest the setting for some classical tragedy, they are also infinitely moving. Winner of the Special Jury Prize at Cannes in 1976 the film stars Bruno Ganz and Edith Clever and has outstanding photography by Nestor Almendros. German language with English subtitles.
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Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
304836
Language
German
Audience classification
PG
Subject categories
Sound/audio
Sound
Colour
Colour
Holdings
VHS; Access Print (Section 1)