The Good German (2006)

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers (WGA):

Paul Attanasio (screenplay)
Joseph Kanon (novel)

Release Date:

14 February 2007 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

If war is hell then what comes after?

Plot:

While in post-war Berlin to cover the Potsdam Conference, an American military journalist is drawn into a murder investigation which involves his former mistress and his driver.

Plot Keywords:

American | Russian | Old Flame | Scientist | Military

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Jack Thompson	...	Congressman Breimer
John Roeder	...	General
George Clooney	...	Jake Geismer
Tobey Maguire	...	Tully
Cate Blanchett	...	Lena Brandt
Dominic Comperatore	...	Levi
Dave Power	...	Lieutenant Schaeffer
Tony Curran	...	Danny
Ravil Isyanov	...	General Sikorsky
J. Paul Boehmer	...	British Press Aide
Igor Korosec	...	Russian Soldier
Boris Kievsky	...	Russian Soldier
Vladimir Kulikov	...	Russian Soldier
Yevgeniy Narovlyanskiy	...	Russian Soldier
Aleksandr Sountsov	...	Russian Soldier

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violence and some sexual content.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Russian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA | UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Ireland:15A | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Brazil:16 | USA:R (No. 42615) | South Korea:18 | Norway:15 | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating)

Filming Locations:

Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA

Company:

Sunset Gower Studios

Trivia:

So that the film could be in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio, which modern theaters are not equipped to handle, the prints are in 1.85:1, with black bars on the sides.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Tully wears a hat with a silver border trim. This is an officer's hat, but Tully is clearly enlisted.

Quotes:

Patrick Tully: You can say what you want about the war... but, the war was the best thing that ever happened to me. Because when you have money, then, for the first time in your life, you underSTAND it, what money does for you. Where before all you understood was NOT having it? Money allows you to be who you truly are.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Daily Show: (2006-11-29)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

You're Some Pretty Doll

Excellent story telling in the post World War II tradition of THE THIRD MAN

The best film to evoke the period in recent memory. Blanchett and Clooney lead a strong cast and make a better film than expected from the novel's source material. Archival newsreel footage of 1945 Berlin and black and white cinematography put to very effective use. Toby McGuire as a self-serving, mean spirited weasel shows another side of the usually boyish charmer. Beau Bridges well cast as the US army brass who bears a self-righteous similarity to contemporary military higher-ups who think they have a corner on deciding the right thing to do. Secrets, lies, love and intrigue woven together to form a provocative study of moral ambiguities and tough choices in wartime. Highly recommended.