Luther (2003)

Director:

Eric Till

Writers (WGA):

Camille Thomasson (written by) and
Bart Gavigan (written by)

Release Date:

30 October 2003 (Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History

Tagline:

Rebel. Genius. Liberator.

Plot:

During the early 16th Century idealistic German monk Martin Luther, disgusted by the materialism in the church, begins the dialogue that will lead to the Protestant Reformation.

Plot Keywords:

Rome | Reformation | Child Suicide | Trial | Boar Hunt

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Joseph Fiennes	...	Martin Luther
Jonathan Firth	...	Girolamo Aleander
Alfred Molina	...	Johann Tetzel
Claire Cox	...	Katharina von Bora
Peter Ustinov	...	Frederick the Wise (as Sir Peter Ustinov)
Bruno Ganz	...	Johann von Staupitz
Uwe Ochsenknecht	...	Pope Leo X
Mathieu Carrière	...	Cardinal Jacob Cajetan
Benjamin Sadler	...	Georg Spalatin
Jochen Horst	...	Professor Andreas Karlstadt
Torben Liebrecht	...	Emperor Charles V
Maria Simon	...	Hanna
Lars Rudolph	...	Philip Melanchthon
Marco Hofschneider	...	Ulrich
Christopher Buchholz	...	Von der Eck

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for disturbing images of violence.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 | Sweden:11 | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Bavaria Studios, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Eikon Film

Trivia:

Sir Peter Ustinov's final film.

Goofs:

Continuity: The film takes place over the course of three decades. However, none of the characters show any signs of aging, including Luther and the youthful German emperor.

Quotes:

Martin Luther: To go against conscience is neither right nor safe. I cannot, and I will not recant. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me.

Movie Connections:

Version of Martin Luther (1953)

Beautifully done, yet still a bit sparse

The beauty of Luther is its drama and its casting. Joseph Fiennes did what he does best as the angst-riddled Luther, playing a complex and haunted character that filled the screen even in his quietest moments. The supporting cast was also fabulous, particularly the merry-in-the-face-of-danger performances by Bruno Ganz and Peter Ustinov.

What's troubling, then, about Luther is that the movie just isn't long enough to portray the story accurately, and therefore it feels not only unfinished but full of gaps. Things happen one against another, people come and go with little explanation, and yet the story marches on. Luther's mission is clear, but his purposes are so boiled down that only a few of his famous Theses are actually voiced in the movie. Shortening the story was obviously necessary for a movie, but in all, I think it acts against the dramatic effect of the film as a whole because things end up with a certain disjointed feel.

Still, the cinematography is brilliant and the acting nearly perfect. The film is worth seeing for its visual splendor (in both performance and sets) alone, and certainly as an introduction to a complex historical topic.