Effi Briest (2009)

Director:

Hermine Huntgeburth

Writers:

Theodor Fontane (novel), Volker Einrauch

Stars:

Julia Jentsch, Heike Warmuth, Mirko Lang

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julia Jentsch	...	Effi von Briest
Heike Warmuth	...	Hulda
Mirko Lang	...	Dagobert von Briest
Ludwig Blochberger	...	Nienkerken
Sebastian Koch	...	Geert von Instetten
Thomas Thieme	...	Herr von Briest
Juliane Köhler	...	Luise von Briest
Sölk Schulze	...	Pastor Niemeyer
Petra-Maria Cammin	...	Frau Niemeyer (as Petra Marie Cammin)
Thilo Wedell	...	Diener Wilke
Thomas Neumann	...	Hausdiener Friedrich
Barbara Auer	...	Johanna
Andrzej Kostrzewa	...	Kutscher Kruse
Godoh-W. Leiji	...	Chinese
Karoline Hugler	...	Braut Chinese

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

politician | adultery | punishment | unfulfilled dreams | pharmacist | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

12 February 2009 (Germany)

Also Known As:

Effi

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Constantin Film Produktion, MSM Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

In the last scene a modern signboard (indicating the position of an underground hydrant) which is mounted on a street light is clearly visible.

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Connections

Version of Effi Briest (1970)

User Reviews

great cast, disappointing film

-- mild spoiler --

Not knowing the book or any of the films that are based on it, I was without prejudice when I sat down in the cinema, looking forward to a beautiful period piece.

The cast is exquisite, no doubt about that; but some of the best German actors couldn't save this film from an empty script and a director who seems not to have had the slightest idea why she wanted to tell that particular story.

Thinking back, I found that there where exactly two well-done scenes in the two tedious hours of the film:

The first was Effi in her new home taking a bath. The housekeeper (the great Barbara Auer) enters and offers to wash her back. Effi is clearly uncomfortable about this but doesn't dare to say no. Does the housekeeper fail to notice Effi's embarrassment, or is she deliberately being cruel? Beautiful scene, full of suspense.

The second scene is near the end, when Effi's little daughter is finally send to visit her outcast mother. The child, obviously instructed to act cold by her father and/or housekeeper, doesn't move her face and gives only very short answers, and Effi gets more and more desperate. This was a touching scene, and I asked myself: How come that after two hours with all these capable actors acting so hard and showing so much emotion, the best scene is about a little child, just sitting there, not moving a muscle of her face at all?

The editing of this film is without style and rhythm, the music is unimaginative and boring, but even worse is the cinematography. It's shot in CinemaScope, but why? Apart from some landscapes and interiors, most of them badly framed, we get mainly close-ups, close-ups and more close-ups. There's nothing more pathetic than shooting on CinemaScope and not knowing what to do with it.