Germany 1939. Hans and Lene marry the day before the war breaks out, and Hans is sent to the Eastern front. During a bombing raid their daughter Anna is born. The house is destroyed and ...
See full summary »
Of course "Game of Thrones" is on our radar this month. See which other movies and TV shows we're excited about in our IMDb Picks section.
Related News
Germany, Pale Mother review – highly stylised account of a family in freefall
12 July 2015 8:00 AM, +01:00 | The Guardian - Film News
12 July 2015 8:00 AM, +01:00 | The Guardian - Film News
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Connect with IMDb
Share this Rating
Title: Germany Pale Mother (1980)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
2 wins & 1 nomination.
See more awards »
Photos
Learn more
People who liked this also liked...
Bay of Angels
(1963)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Jacques Demy
Stars:
Jeanne Moreau,
Claude Mann,
Paul Guers
Verhör einer Frau
(1989)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Thriller
Director:
Ryszard Bugajski
Stars:
Krystyna Janda,
Adam Ferency,
Janusz Gajos
Hobson's Choice
(1954)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
David Lean
Stars:
Charles Laughton,
John Mills,
Brenda de Banzie
Paratroop Command
(1959)
Drama
|
War
Director:
William Witney
Stars:
Richard Bakalyan,
Ken Lynch,
Jack Hogan
Riot in Cell Block 11
(1954)
Crime
|
Drama
|
Film-Noir
Director:
Don Siegel
Stars:
Neville Brand,
Emile Meyer,
Frank Faylen
I Am What I Am
(1967)
Drama
|
Mystery
|
Thriller
Director:
Tinto Brass
Stars:
Jean-Louis Trintignant,
Ewa Aulin,
Roberto Bisacco
Paisan
(1946)
Drama
|
War
Director:
Roberto Rossellini
Stars:
Carmela Sazio,
Gar Moore,
William Tubbs
Isle of Flowers
(1989)
Documentary
|
Short
Director:
Jorge Furtado
Stars:
Paulo José,
Ciça Reckziegel,
Douglas Traini
Deutschland im Herbst
(1978)
Drama
Directors:
Rainer Werner Fassbinder,
Alf Brustellin, and 8 more credits »
Stars:
Wolfgang Bächler,
Heinz Bennent,
Wolf Biermann
Mouchette
(1967)
Drama
Director:
Robert Bresson
Stars:
Nadine Nortier,
Jean-Claude Guilbert,
Marie Cardinal
Cry Terror!
(1958)
Crime
|
Film-Noir
|
Thriller
Director:
Andrew L. Stone
Stars:
James Mason,
Rod Steiger,
Inger Stevens
Palermo or Wolfsburg
(1980)
Drama
Director:
Werner Schroeter
Stars:
Nicola Zarbo,
Otto Sander,
Ida Di Benedetto
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
 |
Eva Mattes | ... |
Helene
|
|
|
Ernst Jacobi | ... |
Hans
|
|
|
Elisabeth Stepanek | ... |
Hanne
|
|
|
Angelika Thomas | ... |
Lydia
|
|
|
Rainer Friedrichsen | ... |
Ulrich
|
|
|
Gisela Stein | ... |
Aunt Ihmchen
|
|
|
Fritz Lichtenhahn | ... |
Uncle Bertrand
|
|
|
Anna Sanders | ... |
Anna
|
|
|
Sonja Lauer | ... |
Anna
|
|
|
Miriam Lauer | ... |
Anna
|
|
|
Gabriele John |
|
|
|
|
Johanna Karl-Lory |
|
|
|
|
Ursula Ludwig |
|
|
|
|
Lisa Örter |
|
|
|
|
Jeanine Rickmann |
|
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
See All (6) »
Storyline
Germany 1939. Hans and Lene marry the day before the war breaks out, and Hans is sent to the Eastern front. During a bombing raid their daughter Anna is born. The house is destroyed and Lene and Anna moves in with relatives in Berlin. Hans survives the war but he is not the same person as in 1939, and he and Lene find it difficult to live together again. Written by Mattias Thuresson
Plot Keywords:
title directed by female | nazi germany | country name in title | territory name in title | deutschland |Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
West GermanyLanguage:
GermanRelease Date:
26 September 1980 (West Germany) See more »Also Known As:
Germany Pale Mother See more »Company Credits
Production Co:
Helma Sanders-Brahms Filmproduktion, Literarisches Colloquium, Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) See more »
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
It's right before WWII in Germany. Lene is a rather plain pensive girl and her dark hair makes her less desirable in the race obsessed country. She meets kind Hans and they get married. Hans is conscripted and sent to the front. Lena gives birth to their daughter Anna. Life is a struggle in war-torn Germany. The couple struggles to remain connected. After the war, they try to return to normal but then she suffers a facial paralysis.
The movie is much too slow at the start. It doesn't really pick up the pace but at least, there is a bit more tension with the war going on. The leads are not terribly charismatic but that's kind of the point. The production and the old war footage leave the movie with a slightly unreal feel. It's a depressing movie.