IMDb > Bella Martha (2001)
Bella Martha
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Bella Martha (2001) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
7.3/10   3,908 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sandra Nettelbeck
Writer:
Sandra Nettelbeck (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Mostly Martha on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
18 April 2002 (Germany) more
Genre:
Comedy | Romance | Drama more
Tagline:
In Martha's enchanted kitchen, more than the food is starting to simmer. With some special ingredients they just might discover a recipe for passion. more
Plot:
When a headstrong chef takes charge of her equally stubborn 8-year-old niece, the tensions between them mount... until an Italian sous-chef arrives to lighten the mood. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
14 wins & 5 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Penélope Cruz in talks to star in Castellitto's 'Mondo'
 (From screeninglog. 13 March 2009, 8:30 PM, PDT)

Almodovar Dominates European Film Awards
 (From WENN. 9 December 2002)

User Comments:
exceptionally good movie more (79 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Martina Gedeck ... Martha Klein
Maxime Foerste ... Lina Klein (Martha's niece)
Sergio Castellitto ... Mario
August Zirner ... Martha's Therapist
Sibylle Canonica ... Frida
Katja Studt ... Lea
Antonio Wannek ... Carlos
Idil Üner ... Bernadette

Oliver Broumis ... Jan

Ulrich Thomsen ... Sam Thalberg
Gerhard Garbers ... Herr Steinberg
Angela Schmidt ... Frau Steinberg
Diego Ribon ... Giuseppe Lorenzo
W.D. Sprenger ... Noisy customer
Victoria Trauttmansdorff ... Companion (as Victoria von Trautmannsdorf)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Mostly Martha (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Drei Sterne (Germany) (working title)
Martha (Germany) (working title)
Ricette d'amore (Italy)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG thematic material and mild language.
Runtime:
109 min | Japan:105 min
Language:
German | Italian
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
Hamburg, Germany more
Company:
Arte more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Sergio Castellitto's German wasn't good enough so Frank Glaubrecht was brought in to dub his voice for the German version. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Martha and Mario first kiss, he leans to the right with the left side of their noses touching. In the next shot he's leaning to the left. more
Quotes:
[last lines]
Martha Klein: Then it must be the sugar.
Martha's Therapist: The sugar?
Martha Klein: Did you get the Belgian vergeoise like I told you?
Martha's Therapist: Are you telling me that you can taste what kind of sugar I've used?
Martha Klein: Of course not, but I can taste which kind you didn't use.
Martha's Therapist: [she smiles softly as he leaves] I give up. I'll be right back.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Le cinéma passe à table (2005) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Für Alina more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful.
exceptionally good movie, 5 September 2005
9/10
Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

This film is an excellent psychological study of a VERY controlled and emotionally constricted woman who uses food, believe it or not, as a way of avoiding intimacy. She is a superb chef who is incredibly precise and demanding concerning her cooking because she is so uncomfortable with people. However, into her tightly controlled world comes chaos in the form of her niece--whose mother was just killed in an auto accident. Not surprisingly, she has a hard time relating to this child and I was thrilled that her transformation to a whole person took time and wasn't achieved in a Hollywood-style way. Instead, this little girl (who was not overly cute or fake--thank goodness) and a new chef at her restaurant (who was completely unlike her) influence Martha in a way that is believable and satisfying.

By the way, while not quite as good as The Big Night (which came out the same year) or Babette's feast, this movie is VERY reminiscent of them--elevating food to a true work of art.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (79 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Bella Martha (2001)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Bella Martha and No Reservations compared alrodbel
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How did the movie end? pavane
The Food homosapiens
Remake with Catherine Zeta-Jones? soyarra-1
umm...what about Sam? Fallingslowly21
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