Class Relations (1984)

After making the domestic servant pregnant, a woman who doubles his age, a young man of only seventeen years from the German bourgeoisie is sent by his family to the United States in order to avoid a huge scandal.

Directors:

Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub

Writer:

Franz Kafka (novel)

Stars:

Christian Heinisch, Nazzareno Bianconi, Mario Adorf

2 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christian Heinisch	...	Karl Roßmann
Nazzareno Bianconi	...	Giacomo
Mario Adorf	...	Der Onkel
Laura Betti	...	Brunelda
Harun Farocki	...	Delamarche
Manfred Blank	...	Robinson
Reinald Schnell	...	Der Heizer
Anna Schnell	...	Line
Klaus Traube	...	Der kapitän
Hermann Hartmann	...	Der Oberkassier
Gérard Semaan	...	Schubal
Jean-François Quinque	...	Der Stewart
Willi Vöbel	...	Pollunder (as Villi Vöbel)
Tilman Heinisch	...	Green
Anne Bold	...	Klara

Storyline

After making the domestic servant pregnant, a woman who doubles his age, a young man of only seventeen years from the German bourgeoisie is sent by his family to the United States in order to avoid a huge scandal.

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Plot Keywords:

alienation | f rated | new german cinema | class struggle | brechtian | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

West Germany France

Language:

German English

Release Date:

3 October 1984 (France)

Also Known As:

Relaciones de clase

Company Credits

Production Co:

Janus Film und Fernsehen, Hessischer Rundfunk (HR), NEF Diffusion

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Amerika oder der Verschollene (1969)

User Reviews

It is the greatest book to film adaptation I have ever seen.

This is one of the great films of the 20th century. It is extraordinary and inspiring. It is simple, clear and to the point - it is also transcendent.

The film is based on Kafka's unfinished novel "Amerika". It was shot in Europe which is appropriate since Kafka never visited America and the novel is not about the real United States but it is rather a kind of allegory. Straub and Huillet's version is indeed about class relations and about the society that is created by capitalism, which is utterly cruel, capricious and ludicrous.

One interesting aspect is that it appears to take place at no specific time in history. It is neither exactly in the present or the past. Rather the characters wear the costumes that best express their position in society, whether it is a nouveau riche industrialist in a large vulgar 1970's bow tie or a policeman in the uniform of the Keystone Kops .

The film is photographed beautifully and simply in black and white. The framing and relationship between shots tells you everything about the relationship between the characters. For example there are long passages of shot/reverse shot with no resolution or establishing shot. It shows us how disconnected the protagonist, Karl Rossman is from the world around him.

There are some interesting actors in the film, note for example Laura Betti who was in many Pasolini films. Also the director Harun Faroki plays one of the characters.

I only wish more of Straub/Huillet's work was available in the USA.