Taking Sides (2001)
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- Not Rated
- 1h 48min
- Drama, Music
- 07 Mar 2002 (Germany)
- Movie
After the end of World War II, a famous German conductor is accused of loyalty to the Nazi regime. He argues that art and politics are separate. An investigator thinks otherwise.
Director:
Writers:
Awards:
- 9 wins & 3 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Harvey Keitel | ... |
Major Steve Arnold
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| Stellan Skarsgård | ... |
Dr. Wilhelm Furtwängler
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| Moritz Bleibtreu | ... |
Lt. David Wills
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| Birgit Minichmayr | ... |
Emmi Straube
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| Ulrich Tukur | ... |
Helmut Alfred Rode, 2nd violinist
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| Oleg Tabakov | ... |
Colonel Dymshitz
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| Hanns Zischler | ... |
Rudolf Otto Werner, oboist
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| Armin Rohde | ... |
Schlee, timpanist
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| R. Lee Ermey | ... |
General Wallace
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| August Zirner | ... |
Captain Ed Martin
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Daniel White | ... |
Sergeant Adams
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Thomas Thieme | ... |
Reichsminister
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| Jed Curtis | ... |
Colonel Green
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| Garrick Hagon | ... |
Major Richards
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| Robin Renucci | ... |
Captain Vernay
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Markus Heinicke | ... |
Attendant
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Aleksandar Tesla | ... |
Projectionist
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| Jarreth J. Merz | ... |
US Soldier
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Holger Schober | ... |
Steve's Driver
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| Frank Leboeuf | ... |
French Aide
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Philip Bowen | ... |
US Aide
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| Thomas Morris | ... |
British Sergant
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Peter Döring | ... |
British Officer
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Rinat Shaham | ... |
Jazz Singer
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Werner Armeln | ... |
Remer
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Matthias Wilke | ... |
Schmidt
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Holger Jahn | ... |
Aide 1
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Werner Zwosta | ... |
Aide 2
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Thomas Rösicke | ... |
Barkeeper 1
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Marco Riccardi | ... |
Barkeeper 2
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Jourii Babalikachvili | ... |
Russian Aide
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Henry Schindler | ... |
U.K. Aide
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| Chris Martin | ... |
U.S. Soldier
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Benno Wirth | ... |
Stallholder
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Ron Hermann | ... |
Boy 1
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Valentin Tornow | ... |
Boy 2
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Wilhelm Furtwängler | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Joseph Goebbels | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Heinrich Himmler | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Adolf Hitler | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| István Szabó | ... |
Passanger on Train (uncredited)
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Directed by
| István Szabó | ||
Written by
| Ronald Harwood | ... | (play) |
| Ronald Harwood | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| Adam Betteridge | ... | associate producer: Great British Films |
| Fritz Buttenstedt | ... | co-executive producer |
| Michael Cowan | ... | co-executive producer (as Michael Lionello Cowan) |
| Udo Happel | ... | line producer |
| Michael Hild | ... | co-producer (as Michael von Wolkenstein) |
| Jeremy Isaacs | ... | co-producer |
| Alex Marshall | ... | associate producer |
| Maureen McCabe | ... | co-producer |
| Rainer Mockert | ... | co-producer |
| Michel Nicolini | ... | supervising producer |
| Yves Pasquier | ... | producer |
| Jason Piette | ... | co-executive producer |
| David Rogers | ... | co-executive producer |
| Jacques Rousseau | ... | co-producer |
| Rainer Schaper | ... | co-producer |
| Gisela Waetzoldt-Hildebrandt | ... | associate producer |
Cinematography by
| Lajos Koltai | ||
Editing by
| Sylvie Landra | ||
Editorial Department
| Patrick Delamotte | ... | color timer |
| Juliette Garcias | ... | assistant editor |
| Soline Guyonneau | ... | first assistant editor |
| Isabelle Lepicier | ... | assistant editor (as Isabelle Lépicier) |
Casting By
| Gillian Hawser | ||
| Caroline Hutchings | ||
| Heta Mantscheff | ||
Production Design by
| Ken Adam | ||
Art Direction by
| Anja Müller | ... | supervising art director |
Set Decoration by
| Bernhard Henrich | ||
Costume Design by
| Györgyi Szakács | ||
Makeup Department
| Wolfgang Böge | ... | makeup artist |
| Ann-Kathrin Guballa | ... | makeup artist |
| Beatrice Mendelin | ... | special makeup effects artist |
| Martina Raschke-Dressler | ... | makeup artist |
| Robert Rebele | ... | special makeup effects artist |
Production Management
| Marcus Loges | ... | unit manager |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Claudia Anton | ... | trainee assistant director |
| Thorne Mutert | ... | second assistant director |
| Aleksandrs Petukhovs | ... | third assistant director |
| Ralph Remstedt | ... | first assistant director |
| Oliver Schnug | ... | third assistant director |
Art Department
| Philipp A. Barnett | ... | set decoration assistant (as Philipp Barnett) |
| Stefan Pepe Baumgärtner | ... | assistant art director |
| Pierre Brayard | ... | assistant art director |
| André Brüggemann | ... | stand-by carpenter |
| Marcel Chlosta | ... | property driver |
| Christian Ehlert | ... | lead set dresser |
| Axel Eichhorst | ... | storyboard artist |
| Sabine Engelberg | ... | art department coordinator |
| Eckart Friz | ... | assistant property master |
| Dierk Grahlow | ... | construction supervisor (as Dierck Rüdiger Grahlow) |
| Thomas Göldner | ... | set dresser |
| Axel Kahnt | ... | property master |
| Christoph Kettenring | ... | props |
| Oliver Korbel | ... | set dresser |
| Robert Krüger | ... | scenic artist |
| Matthias Kulewatz | ... | stand-by carpenter |
| Steffi Kulse | ... | assistant to construction supervisor |
| Detlef Michelchen | ... | stand-by carpenter |
| Blanka Pietsch | ... | property assistant |
| Scott Ritchie | ... | art department trainee |
| Christian Röscheisen | ... | stand-by prop |
| Udo Scharnowski | ... | draughtsman |
| Bea Schiefeling | ... | property buyer |
| Dorothea Schiefeling | ... | property buyer |
| Bernd Schirach | ... | stand-by carpenter |
| Bele Schneider | ... | property buyer |
| Gisela Schulze | ... | draughtsman |
| Torsten Schwartz | ... | supervisor plasterer |
| Christian Schäfer | ... | assistant set decorator (as Christian Schaefer) |
| Constanze Siedenburg | ... | prop designer |
| Ralf Stottrop | ... | stand-by painter |
| Andreas Herberg | ... | carpenter (uncredited) |
| Cindy Schnitter | ... | plasterer (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Philippe Amouroux | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Jean-Louis Bras | ... | adr boom operator |
| Michel Filippi | ... | adr editor (as Michel Fillipi) |
| Jean Goudier | ... | supervising sound editor |
| Jean-Francois Hammel | ... | foley artist assistant |
| Noemi Hampel | ... | cable woman |
| Cyril Holtz | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Denis Jaillet-Marsigny | ... | sound recordist |
| Anne Le Campion | ... | foley recordist |
| Jérôme Lévy | ... | foley artist |
| Olivier Marlangeon | ... | foley artist assistant |
| Gilles Missir | ... | adr sound engineer |
| Bridget O'Driscoll | ... | dialogue editor |
| John Pitt | ... | boom operator |
| Brian Simmons | ... | sound mixer |
Special Effects by
| Michael Apling | ... | special effects technician |
| Alain Carsoux | ... | head of special effects |
| Lars Hintze | ... | special effects technician |
| Thorsten Hintze | ... | special effects technician |
| Tommy Opatz | ... | special effects makeup: supply |
| Edouard Valton | ... | special effects producer |
| Bernd Wildau | ... | senior special effects technician |
| Adolf Wojtinek | ... | special effects supervisor |
Visual Effects by
| Christophe Belena | ... | digital transfers |
| Thorsten Binte | ... | visual effects supervisor |
| Coralie Boulay | ... | digital transfer editor |
| Séverine De Wever | ... | production coordinator |
| François Dupuy | ... | digital transfers |
| Vincent Frei | ... | rotoscope artist |
| Olivier Gadal | ... | rotoscope artist |
| Yann Gonsard | ... | rotoscope artist |
| Rip Hampton O'Neil | ... | technical director: Duboi |
| Michael Hosenfeld | ... | digital effects project manager |
| Abdel Ali Kassou | ... | digital transfers |
| Aurelie Lajoux | ... | rotoscope artist |
| Tina Lin | ... | digital transfers |
| Thomas Mulack | ... | digital effects producer |
| Nicolas Pelle | ... | digital transfers |
| Markus Schneider | ... | compositing artist |
| Antoine Simkine | ... | visual effects executive producer: Duboi |
| Guillaume Uguet | ... | digital transfers |
Stunts
| Helmut Baumer | ... | stunts |
| Oliver Fritsche | ... | stunt rigger |
| Christof Genesis | ... | stunts |
| Udo Harnach | ... | stunt performer |
| Werner Kaiser | ... | stunts |
| Georg Armin Sauer | ... | stunt coordinator (as Armin Sauer) |
| Bernhard Schirmer | ... | stunts |
| René Schobeß | ... | stunts (as Rene Schobess) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Christian Almesberger | ... | assistant camera |
| Daniel Alvermann | ... | dolly grip |
| Karl Dillitzer | ... | gaffer |
| Sandro Eichler | ... | grip |
| Marcell Erdélyi | ... | camera trainee |
| Mikesch Groht | ... | steadicam operator |
| Heiko Jörke | ... | key grip |
| Daniel Klaucke | ... | electrician |
| Carsten Klockow | ... | grip |
| Patrick Kloz | ... | video assistant |
| Roland Knitter | ... | electrician |
| Finn Kohler | ... | grip |
| Oliver Ladinser | ... | electrician |
| Martin Lippert | ... | generator operator |
| Gero Neumann | ... | clapper loader |
| Nicole Nullmeyer | ... | clapper loader |
| Joseph Gallus Rittenberg | ... | still photographer |
| Alexander Schaak | ... | electrician |
| Axel Schrepel | ... | electrician |
| Rico Schulze | ... | electrician |
| Jörg Widmer | ... | steadicam operator |
| Mike Wächter | ... | best boy |
| Kevin Foy | ... | grip (uncredited) |
Animation Department
| Siegfried Ostertag | ... | animator |
Casting Department
| Vanessa Baker | ... | adr voice casting |
| Karin Beewen | ... | casting: Babelsberg |
| Brendan Donnison | ... | adr voice casting |
| Martina Goldsmith | ... | extras casting assistant |
| Petra Lüttschwager | ... | extras casting assistant |
| Iris Müller | ... | extras casting |
| Tanja Ploetz | ... | extras casting assistant |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Anke Baier | ... | dresser |
| Pascale Bourtequoi | ... | assistant costume designer |
| Constanze Hagedorn | ... | wardrobe mistress |
| Sparka Lee Hall | ... | costume supervisor |
| Richard Olaf Zintel | ... | wardrobe master |
| Judith Stöger | ... | dresser |
Location Management
| Roman Avianus | ... | assistant location manager |
| Klaus Große Darrelmann | ... | location manager |
| Boris Hars-Tschachotin | ... | location scout |
| Laura Lackmann | ... | location assistant (as Laura Popescu-Zeletin) |
Music Department
| Daniel Barenboim | ... | conductor: new recordings |
| Wilhelm Furtwängler | ... | conductor: original recordings |
| Ulrich Trimborn | ... | music supervisor |
Script and Continuity Department
| Gabriella Prekop | ... | script advisor |
| Caroline Veyssière | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Katja Heissig | ... | driver |
| Axel Hübner | ... | driver: director |
| Inga Meissner | ... | transportation coordinator |
| Grit Menzzer | ... | driver |
Additional Crew
| Tobias Asam | ... | office production assistant |
| Melanie Aßmann | ... | set production assistant |
| Francesco Belfiore | ... | assistant: Mr. Keitel |
| Naomi Buck | ... | assistant: Mr. Pasquier |
| Catherine Charlton | ... | dialogue coach |
| Claudia Davids | ... | production accountant |
| Dennis Davidson | ... | publicity campaign |
| Claire Deloire | ... | production secretary: France |
| Yassir Falhi | ... | stand-in |
| Sven Herrmann | ... | set manager |
| Michael Hoffmann | ... | crowd marshall |
| Julia Jones | ... | unit publicist |
| Julia Kainz | ... | unit publicist |
| Frank Krug | ... | set production assistant |
| Emily Kyriakides | ... | assistant: Mr. Marshall |
| Winnie Marcus | ... | set production assistant |
| Catherine Michael | ... | production secretary |
| Tresi Murphy | ... | production assistant: France |
| Axel Möller | ... | stand-in |
| Alexander Nanau | ... | office production assistant |
| Karl Objartel | ... | office production assistant |
| Susann Pataki | ... | office production assistant |
| Andreas Pense | ... | legal counsel: producer / legal services: co-production / legal services: production |
| Daniel Pruß | ... | crowd marshall |
| Annie Quignon-Fleuret | ... | production accountant: France |
| Miriam Rönn | ... | unit publicist |
| Marco Schenke | ... | crowd marshall |
| Nadine Schindowski | ... | cashier |
| Anja Wedell | ... | production coordinator |
| David Wilkinson | ... | UK distribution |
| Nicole Zscherny | ... | set production assistant |
| Szászi Zsuzsanna | ... | assistant: Mr. Szabó (as Zsuzsanna Szászi) |
| Denis O'Sullivan | ... | assistant: Harvey Keitel (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Paladin Production S.A.
- Maecenas Film- und Fernseh GmbH
- Studio Babelsberg
- Little Big Bear Filmproduktion GmbH
- Canal+ (participation)
- Enterprise Films
- France 2 Cinéma
- Jeremy Isaacs Productions Ltd.
- MBP (Germany)
- Satel Film
- Spice Factory
- TwanPix Ltd.
Distributors
- Alamode Film (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
- VCL Communications (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
- Mikado Film (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Mondo Films (2002) (France) (theatrical)
- New Yorker Films (2003) (United States) (theatrical)
- Acteurs Auteurs Associés (AAA) (2006) (France) (DVD)
- E Stars Films (2002) (China) (tv)
- Guerilla Films (2003) (United Kingdom)
- Phoenix Worldwide Entertainment (2023) (World-wide)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Angels & Bermans (costume rental)
- Arane (titles)
- DDA (publicity)
- Deutsche Grammophon (soundtrack)
- Duran Duboi Services (editing equipment)
- Eurocostumes (costume rental)
- International Recordings (adr voice casting)
- Lyps Inc. (adr voice casting)
- Montage Films Thauvin (negative cutting)
- Studio Copra (post-production sound equipment)
- Sturm Handels GmbH Kostümverleih (costume rental)
- Theaterkunst (costume rental)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In Berlin at the end of World War II, Wilhelm Furtwängler (Stellan Skarsgård) is conducting Ludwig van Beethoven's 5th Symphony when yet another Allied air raid stops the performance. A minister in the Nazi government comes to Furtwängler's dressing room to advise him that he should go abroad, and escape the war. The film then jumps to some time after the Allied victory. U.S. Army General Wallace (R. Lee Ermey) tells Major Steve Arnold (Harvey Keitel) to "get" Furtwängler at his denazification hearing: "Find Wilhelm Furtwängler guilty. He represents everything that was rotten in Germany." Arnold gets an office with Lt. David Wills (Moritz Bleibtreu), a German-American Jew, and Emmaline Straube (Birgit Minichmayr), daughter of an executed member of the German resistance. Arnold questions several musicians, many of whom know Emmaline's father and say that Furtwängler refused to give Adolf Hitler the Nazi salute. Arnold begins interrogating Furtwängler, asking why he didn't leave Germany in 1933 like so many other musicians. Why he had played for Hitler's birthday? Why he had played at a Nazi rally? Why his recording of Anton Bruckner's 7th Symphony was used on the radio after Hitler's death? Arnold gets a second violinist to tell him about Furtwängler's womanizing and the conductor's professional jealousy of Herbert von Karajan. In a subplot, Arnold is assisted by a young Jewish U.S. Army lieutenant. The young officer begins to have sympathy for the conductor, as does the young German woman who works as a clerk in their office. This causes friction between Arnold and his subordinates. In a voice-over, Arnold explains that Furtwängler was exonerated at the later hearings but boasts that his questioning "winged" him. Footage of the real Furtwängler shows him shaking hands with Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels after a concert. The conductor surreptitiously wipes his hands with a cloth after touching the Nazi. |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $20,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | To the criticism of both movie critics and American audiences of depicting the American Denazification officer Maj. Steve Arnolds (Harvey Keitel) as a "caricature, a bully, a Philistine," screenplay writer Ronald Harwood told The Jewish Journal that he went on to comb archives for denazification transcripts and to interview officials who had supervised such proceedings."They were morally brutal," Hardwood stated. "They bullied people, and they did behave in an extreme way. But they had just seen the camps, and no one in the world had seen that before." See more » |
| Goofs | When Major Arnold is listening to the recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the record finishes the first movement and carries straight on to the second. Long playing albums, which ran at 33 1/3 rpm, were introduced in 1948, but the record shown is a 78 rpm one. The performance of the 5th Symphony would have been on a set of five 78 rpm records, one movement each, split over the two sides. It should not be possible for the second movement to start without the record being changed. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Edited into Taking Sides Again (2004). See more » |
| Soundtracks | 1st & 4th Movements See more » |
| Quotes |
Emmi Straube:
When he made his decision, he couldn't have known everything. Especially not the way people like you do, who've returned from exile and feel that you have a right to pass judgement. Because you are blameless, you think you know best who is a sinner and who deserves forgiveness. But you have no idea how people lived here. See more » |