Der Joker (1987)

Several known criminals already have been murdered by a professional killer, leaving no trace but the "ace" game card. The police suspects a new mob is trying to take over the district. The... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Patzak

Writers:

Jonathan Carroll, Mortimer Ellis (story),

Stars:

Peter Maffay, Tahnee Welch, Bernard Freyd

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Maffay	...	Jan Bogdan
Tahnee Welch	...	Daniela Santini
Bernard Freyd	...	Mario Santini
Massimo Ghini	...	Toni Blach
Karl Merkatz	...	Josef Blach
Elke Krings	...	Theresa Blach
Elliott Gould	...	Serge Gart
Joachim Dietmar Mues	...	Salz
Marquard Bohm	...	Pfeffer
András Gönczöl	...	Koura
Werner Pochath	...	Resch
Monica Bleibtreu	...	Cilly
Uwe Hacker	...	Riese
Klaus Bueb	...	Paul
Klaus Stiglmeier	...	1. Zuhälter

Storyline

Several known criminals already have been murdered by a professional killer, leaving no trace but the "ace" game card. The police suspects a new mob is trying to take over the district. The investigating police officer Jan is victimized by a bomb himself, when he's at his girlfriend Daniela's father's Italian restaurant. Although paralyzed and suspended from work, the tuff cop continues to investigate and takes revenge on the gangsters who did this to him.

---

Plot Keywords:

police | revenge | restaurant | wheelchair | movie theater | 

---

Genres:

Thriller | Crime | Drama

---

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German English Italian

Release Date:

15 October 1987 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Joker

Filming Locations:

Abaton Kino, Allende-Platz, Hamburg, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

CTV 72 Film und Fernsehproduktion GmbH, K.S. Film, Lisa-Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Burning Bridges"
Performed by Tony Carey

User Reviews

See a man, smaller than his gun...!

I love this film. Peter Maffay really can't act and he gives his lines in a way (German version) that I was laughing all through the movie. The whole concept is so pathetic and the cheesy score (okay, occasionally it's not that bad) drowns this flick merciless in sentimentality. "Joker" wants to be hard and tough and sometimes it does not look bad at all but it's more the ruin of an interesting concept, spoiled by the leading role and the typical 80ies cheese. Patzak can be a good director and I'm sure if he would have done "Joker" 10 years earlier, with Maurizio Merli for example... (haha), maybe this movie could have been pretty good, who knows. But I don't say that this version actually is bad. It's not bad if you are looking for some good fun. So I give it 4 out of 10 for the movie it wants to be and an unofficial 8 out of 10 for the unintentional comedy it is.