Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970)

With slicked-down hair and three-piece suits, dependable Herr Raab is a technical draftsman. He gets along with his colleagues although his boss wants him to go beyond technical cleanliness... See full summary »

Directors:

Michael Fengler, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (as Rainer W. Fassbinder)

Writers:

Michael Fengler, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (as Rainer W. Fassbinder)

Stars:

Lilith Ungerer, Kurt Raab, Lilo Pempeit

3 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lilith Ungerer	...	Frau R.
Kurt Raab	...	Herr R.
Lilo Pempeit	...	Kollegin im Büro
Franz Maron	...	Chef
Harry Baer	...	Kollege im Büro (as Harry Bär)
Peter Moland	...	Kollege im Büro
Hanna Schygulla	...	Hanna
Ingrid Caven	...	Nachbarin
Irm Hermann	...	Nachbarin
Doris Mattes	...	Nachbarin
Hannes Gromball	...	Nachbar
Vinzenz Sterr	...	Opa Raab (as Herr Sterr)
Maria Sterr	...	Oma Raab (as Frau Sterr)
Peer Raben	...	Schulfreund
Eva Pampuch	...	Schallplattenverkäuferin

Storyline

With slicked-down hair and three-piece suits, dependable Herr Raab is a technical draftsman. He gets along with his colleagues although his boss wants him to go beyond technical cleanliness to problem solving. He's a dutiful husband; his wife's a social climber and pushes him to seek a promotion, but they also share sweet moments. He's a caring father, helping his son with homework. His parents visit; his mother criticizes his wife. Old School friends drop by, as do neighbors. Some comment on Raab's wife's expensive tastes. His promotion may be a long shot, especially after he gives a dull and tipsy toast at an office dinner. But why would Herr Raab run amok?

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Plot Keywords:

colleague | draftsman | beer | couple | male female relationship | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

17 November 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

Warum läuft Herr R. Amok?

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Box Office

Budget:

DEM 135,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Antiteater-Produktion, Maran Film, Süddeutscher Rundfunk (SDR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The entire movie consists of 31 shots.

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Goofs

When Herr R. leaves the doctor the camera team can be seen in the mirror on the wall.

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Connections

Featured in Gegenschuss - Aufbruch der Filmemacher (2008)

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Soundtracks

Stand by Me
Written by Ben E. King, Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Performed by Ben E. King

User Reviews

That's not me whom you see

The idea that the human being is a Kosmos of his own, is know since the times of Romantics, at last. The even stronger theory according to which the human was been created after God has become a common feature of Christian religion. However, it has taken almost two thousand years before the philosopher Gotthard Gunther has stated that between an "I" and and "Though" there is exactly the same qualitative difference as between the human and God. On therefore has not to travel to the edges of transcendence in order to experience what a con-texture border means, it is sufficient to learn that insight into a Thou is excluded on principal reasons. This turns out to be important in all those cases where even close friends of a human become shocked and react in a way similar to: we would never have thought that he could do that.

Another problem, perhaps in a certain perspective even more delicate, is the border between a deed in thought and a deed in fact. Many people kill others in their wishes, dreams, they even say it without meaning it. On the other hand, some people would never say it, but then there is a moment when they do it. What is it that causes the transgression between thought and deed? R.W. Fassbinder presents a fully uncommented, non-condemnatory approach in "Warum Läuft Herr R. Amok?" (1970). Up to a certain degree, the absolute free speech which gives the illusion of everyday-conversations observed by a candid camera, has the form of a Brechtian "Lehrstück", however, there is no wagging finger to sense in this movie. The spectator is elevated into the position of the judge - if he really still thinks that the deed of Herr R. can be judged after having watched and understood the movie. The spectator even becomes a part of the movie, without him the communication scheme is incomplete. He is the receiver of a message from whom not even an answer is expected, but a revision in thinking on the basis of which has been presented to him. "A good movie is a movie that does not stop when people come out of the cinema, but continues in their heads", Fassbinder said once.