The Scarlet Letter (1973) Der scharlachrote Buchstabe (original title)

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Wim Wenders (writer)
Tankred Dorst (scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika)
(more)

Release Date:

January 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

In 17th-century Salem, Hester Prynne must wear a scarlet A because she is an adulteress, with a child out of wedlock...

Plot Keywords:

17th Century | Adulteress | Sexuality | Infidelity | Pregnancy

Cast

Senta Berger	...	Hester Prynne
Hans Christian Blech	...	Roger Chillingworth
Lou Castel	...	Rev. Dimmesdale
Yelena Samarina	...	Mistress Hibbins, the daughter of Gov. Bellingham
Yella Rottländer	...	Pearl
William Layton	...	Gov. Bellingham
Alfredo Mayo	...	Gov. Fuller
Ángel Álvarez	...	Rev. Wilson
Laura Currie	...	Sarah
Tito García	...	Church Attendant
Lorenzo Robledo	...	Captain
Rafael Albaicín	...	Indian
José Villasante	...	Shop Owner
Rüdiger Vogler	...	The Sailor
José Vivó
Julián del Monte
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Antonio Cintado
Eduardo Fajardo
Antonio Orengo

Directed by
Wim Wenders

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tankred Dorst		scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika
Ursula Ehler		scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika
Bernardo Fernández		writer
Nathaniel Hawthorne		novel "The Scarlet Letter"
Wim Wenders		writer

Produced by
Volker Canaris	....	producer
Peter Schamoni	....	line producer
Joachim von Mengershausen	....	producer

Original Music by
Jürgen Knieper

Cinematography by
Robby Müller

Film Editing by
Peter Przygodda

Production Design by
Adolfo Cofiño
Manfred Luetz

Costume Design by
Carmen Marín

Makeup Department
Ingrid Thier	....	hair stylist
Ingrid Thier	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Peter Genée	....	production manager
Primitivo Álvaro	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernardo Fernández	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Christian Schubert	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Martin Schäfer	....	assistant camera
Martin Schäfer	....	still photographer
Heide M. Weis	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Barbara von Weitershausen	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Luis de Pablo	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Astrid Graue	....	continuity
Pablo Martínez	....	production assistant
Thomas Schamoni	....	technique

Production Companies

• Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.
• Filmverlag der Autoren
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Distributors

• Filmverlag der Autoren (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Bauer International (1977) (USA) (subtitled)
• Europa Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD) (Portuguese subtitles)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Leader Music (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (as Leader Vision)
• Pacific Arts (video)
• Ripley's Home Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Der scharlachrote Buchstabe" - West Germany (original title)

Runtime:

Spain:78 min | West Germany:90 min | USA:90 min

Country:

West Germany | Spain

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Cologne, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy A (2010)

'The Scarlet Letter' Wenders-style

I stumbled upon this one in a little video store in a small southern town. Wim Wenders' "The Scarlet Letter?" In German? With the barren Portuguese coast subbing for New England? So I watched it and in the end can only say that it's worth a look. It's far from a great film, but it has some occasional great moments and it isn't bad. It's more of a strange little curio, though, than an important part of the great director's repertoire.

One thing that bothered me about the film was the loud, obtrusive musical score. Thinking back on what I like about GOOD Wenders films of the 70s like "The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick" and "Alice in the Cities," I remember that they both had very effective minimalist scores that heightened the impact of the images whereas in "The Scarlet Letter" the score distracts heavily. In fact there are a few things that really distract about "The Scarlet Letter" and one gets the feeling while watching it that Wenders didn't quite know how to handle the material. But it's occasionally inspired and well shot and should be seen by fans of the director's work or people who are looking for a rather unique perspective of a classic tale.