Forbidden (1984)

In Berlin in the early 1940s, romance is forbidden between the young countess who is studying veterinary medicine and a young man she meets at the home of a former professor. But they fall ... See full summary »

Director:

Anthony Page

Writers:

Leonard Gross (novel), Michael Hastings

Stars:

Jacqueline Bisset, Jürgen Prochnow, Irene Worth

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jacqueline Bisset	...	Nina von Halder
Jürgen Prochnow	...	Fritz Friedländer
Irene Worth	...	Ruth Friedländer
Peter Vaughan	...	Major Stauffel
Amanda Cannings	...	Lucie
Avis Bunnage	...	Frau Schmidt
Robert Dietl	...	Nils Arvidson
Malcolm Kaye	...	Max Baum
Georg Tryphon	...	Franz
Osman Ragheb	...	Hans Wittenhagen
Annie Leon	...	Erica von Kirdorf
Guntbert Warns	...	Librarian
Herta Schwarz	...	Berta
Ulli Kinalzik	...	Gestapo Agent
Gerhard Frey	...	Emil Janos

Storyline

In Berlin in the early 1940s, romance is forbidden between the young countess who is studying veterinary medicine and a young man she meets at the home of a former professor. But they fall in love. She gets involved in helping Jews escape from the Nazis. All get out of Berlin except the young man. There is a room in her apartment where he can't be seen through the windows and a chest converted into a sofa where she and her brothers played hide-and-seek as children. This real life hide-and-seek game has high stakes. The movie is said to be based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

ruins | hiding a jew | nazi | jew | escape | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence and sensuality

Details

Country:

West Germany UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

December 1984 (UK)

Also Known As:

Forbidden

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anthea Film,Clasart Film + TV Produktions GmbH,HBO Premiere Films

Technical Specs

Color:

Black and White Black and White (archive footage) Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adapted from a book "The Last Jews in Berlin".

User Reviews

great film

Forbidden is a great film. It shows what a great actress Jacqueline Bisset is. She is not afraid to play difficult roles and she found one most definitely in the role of the highly moral and intelligent Countess Nina von Halder, a young student studying Veterinary Science. Von Halder falls in love with Fritz Friedlander, the son of a former German Judge. He would be highly respectable in any normal society. Unfortunately he is a German jew living in the time of the Third Reich and given the passing of the infamous Nazi German Nuremberg laws in 1935, he is no longer considered a worthy partner for Countess Nina von Halder. Von Halder takes great risks to protect her love carrying on an illegal relationship with him. She chooses to hide him when the authorities start to round up the Jewish people in Berlin. The horror of this process is superbly depicted when the authorities come to collect Fritz's widowed mother, Ruth Friedlander. Ruth is brilliantly played by the multi-talented late Irene Worth. Thankfully both Fritz and Nina both survive the fall of Berlin. Peter Vaughan is thoroughly despicable in the role of Major Stauffel. Nina has made a hiding place in a sofa for Fritz. Thankfully when Stauffel calls Fritz has found another place which goes undetected by Stauffel as Stauffel suspects Fritz is hiding in the sofa and has it machine gunned. This is a film that shows how love can overcome adversity even through the worst of times under a criminal regime. It is well worth watching.