Germany Year Zero (1948)

A young German boy faces the problems of the tough life in the immediate post WWII Berlin.

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Writers:

Roberto Rossellini (screenplay), Roberto Rossellini (dialogue)

Stars:

Edmund Moeschke, Ernst Pittschau, Ingetraud Hinze

3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Edmund Moeschke	...	Edmund Köhler (as Edmund Meschke)
Ernst Pittschau	...	Il padre
Ingetraud Hinze	...	Eva (as Ingetraud Hinz)
Franz-Otto Krüger	...	Karl-Heinz (as Franz Grüger)
Erich Gühne	...	Il maestro

Storyline

Edmund, a young boy who lives in war-devastated Germany after the Second World War has to do all kinds of work and tricks to help his family in getting food and barely survive. One day he meets a man who used to be one of his teachers in school and hopes to get support from him, but the ideas of this man do not lead Edmund in a clearer or safer way of living...

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Plot Keywords:

boy | work | german | soldier | pedophile | 

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Taglines:

The country is obliterated, the buildings are dilapidated and the people are desolated.

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Genres:

Drama | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy France Germany

Language:

German English French

Release Date:

19 September 1949 (USA)

Also Known As:

Germany Year Zero

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Tevere Film,SAFDI,Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

78 min 71 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to his autobiography, Klaus Kinski went in to audition for an unspecified part for Roberto Rossellini when he came to Berlin. He claims that after hours of waiting while Rossellini was on the phone with Anna Magnani in another room, Kinski characteristically burst out in anger and cursed Rossellini. The Italian director was reputedly heard saying as Kinski was storming out: "Chi è quello? Mi interessa! Fategli un provino!" (Translation: "Who is he? Interesting! Arrange for a screen test!")

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Quotes

Edmund: It wasn't my fault. I was with other boys.
Il padre: Enough! I don't want to hear any lies!
Eva: He didn't mean any harm, Papa. He wanted to get something to eat.
Il padre: I'll do without.
Karl-Heinz: Me, too. I'd rather die of hunger.
Eva: Easy for you to say.
Il padre: I can't stand it anymore, here in this bed.

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Connections

Referenced in Persistence (1997)

User Reviews

Grim and accurate

I must confess to a lingering fascination of the condition of Germany, and the German peoples, immediately following WWII. The country, of course, was broken - destroyed - in ruins. More importantly, so were the people. The real life stories I have read speak to so many aspects of their condition: shame, starvation, disbelief, shock of the revelations of the evil of their own doing, and despair. Always despair. They are stories of how the human spirit can overcome the most horrific nightmares and conditions.

This movie drills to the heart of many of those issues, sometimes subtly, sometimes brazenly. Rossellini was never better.

I consider this movie to be a must view on two levels: First, it is quite frankly one of the best moves ever made. Easy words to throw around, and said too often about too many films. Those words apply here. Second, it is a must view for the understanding it can provide of what the world - particularly Germany and Europe - were like after WWII. It belongs to a small suite of movies (such as Schindler's List) that show real insight, a true view into the world during this bleak time in history.