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The Future of Emily

Original title: Flügel und Fesseln
  • 1984
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
49
YOUR RATING
The Future of Emily (1984)
Drama

Emily, an actress' child, stays with her bourgeois grandparents during frequent periods when her mother makes films. Isabelle wraps a picture, flies to her childhood home to pick up Emily, a... Read allEmily, an actress' child, stays with her bourgeois grandparents during frequent periods when her mother makes films. Isabelle wraps a picture, flies to her childhood home to pick up Emily, and plans to leave for her place in France. Old wounds between Isabelle and her parents ope... Read allEmily, an actress' child, stays with her bourgeois grandparents during frequent periods when her mother makes films. Isabelle wraps a picture, flies to her childhood home to pick up Emily, and plans to leave for her place in France. Old wounds between Isabelle and her parents open over Isabelle's lifestyle. It's also apparent that Isabelle's mother Paula is unhappy--w... Read all

  • Director
    • Helma Sanders-Brahms
  • Writers
    • Sylvie Ponsard
    • Helma Sanders-Brahms
    • Suzanne Schiffman
  • Stars
    • Brigitte Fossey
    • Hildegard Knef
    • Ivan Desny
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    49
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Helma Sanders-Brahms
    • Writers
      • Sylvie Ponsard
      • Helma Sanders-Brahms
      • Suzanne Schiffman
    • Stars
      • Brigitte Fossey
      • Hildegard Knef
      • Ivan Desny
    • 1User review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Brigitte Fossey and Hildegard Knef in The Future of Emily (1984)
    Hildegard Knef in The Future of Emily (1984)
    Brigitte Fossey and Camille Raymond in The Future of Emily (1984)
    Brigitte Fossey and Camille Raymond in The Future of Emily (1984)

    Top cast

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    Brigitte Fossey
    Brigitte Fossey
    • Isabelle
    Hildegard Knef
    Hildegard Knef
    • Mutter Paula
    Ivan Desny
    Ivan Desny
    • Vater Charles
    Hermann Treusch
    • Friedrich
    Camille Raymond
    • Emily
    Mathieu Carrière
    Mathieu Carrière
    Caroline Ruprecht
    Helma Sanders-Brahms
    Helma Sanders-Brahms
    • Director
      • Helma Sanders-Brahms
    • Writers
      • Sylvie Ponsard
      • Helma Sanders-Brahms
      • Suzanne Schiffman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    User reviews1

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    A successful spin on 'Autumn Sonata'
    After finishing her tiring movie shoot star actress Isabelle flies back to Germany to spend some time with her (much more tiring) daughter who stays with Isabelle's parents. What follows is very reminiscent of Bergman's 'Autumn Sonata', conversations that revel in the generational jealousy and bitterness between Isabelle and her mother. Things that are said at one time (e.g. the parents not approving of Isabelle's lifestyle, especially in regard to men) at other times are revealed to run much deeper.

    For a while when they both feel particularly lonely (and are a little drunk) they seem to be best friends, and almost behave a little like lovers, talking about their dreams that didn't come true and whatnot. But the harmony doesn't last long and Isabelle gets the blame for the cards that fate dealt the mother and what was love in one minute turns into hate in the other. Like 'Autumn Sonata' it takes its sweet time to get started. The roles here are reversed since the daughter is the successful artist and the mother the devout housewife. With Isabelle having little time to spend with her daughter one can imagine her to grow up to be the Liv Ullmann character and 35 years later she and Isabelle play out the events in 'Autumn Sonata'. Its high points maybe aren't as high as in the Bergman film but I think it's more consistently insightful. And although I compared them a lot 'Flügel und Fesseln' very much stands on its own. If 'Autumn Sonata' is one of your favorite Bergman films this comes recommended.
    helpful•1
    0
    • Perception_de_Ambiguity
    • Mar 14, 2015

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • December 17, 1986 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • France
    • Languages
      • German
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Flügel und Fesseln
    • Filming locations
      • Barfleur, Manche, France
    • Production companies
      • Helma Sanders Filmproduktion
      • Les Films du Losange
      • Literarisches Colloquium
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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