Bagdad Cafe (1987)

A lonely German woman ends up in the most desolate motel on Earth and decides to make it brighter.

Director:

Percy Adlon

Writers:

Eleonore Adlon (screenplay), Percy Adlon (screenplay)

Stars:

Marianne Sägebrecht, CCH Pounder, Jack Palance

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marianne Sägebrecht	...	Jasmin Münchgstettner
CCH Pounder	...	Brenda
Jack Palance	...	Rudi Cox
Christine Kaufmann	...	Debby
Monica Calhoun	...	Phyllis
Darron Flagg	...	Salomo
George Aguilar	...	Cahuenga
G. Smokey Campbell	...	Sal
Hans Stadlbauer	...	Münchgstettner
Alan S. Craig	...	Eric
Apesanahkwat	...	Sheriff Arnie
Ronald Lee Jarvis	...	Trucker Ron
Mark Daneri	...	Trucker Mark
Ray Young	...	Trucker Ray
Gary Lee Davis	...	Trucker Gary

Storyline

Out of Rosenheim (Bagdad Café) is a look into the minds and lives of some people most of us have met but few of us know much about. This movie exemplifies how one person in the right place can affect a community of lives. The Adlons seem to express the view that all change and "magic" comes from hard work and mutual acceptance. A well-crafted view of the lives of tourists everywhere and the difficulties they can face. A Whimsical and lovingly Photographed look at the vast wasteland that is too often ignored by much of humanity.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | gas station | playing piano | bare breasts | phone ringing | 

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Taglines:

Off Route 66 between Vegas and nowhere a little magic's going on...

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Imagica TV [Japan]

Country:

West Germany

Language:

English German

Release Date:

22 April 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bagdad Cafe

Filming Locations:

Bagdad, Arizona, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$3,587,303

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pelemele Film,Pro-ject Filmproduktion,Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although filmed in Arizona and California, the film takes place in Nevada.

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Goofs

Christine Kaufmann's character's, the tattoo artist, name is spelled Debby in the film credits but the sign outside her shop spells her name Debbie.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Jasmin Münchgstettner: Magic.

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Connections

Follows Zuckerbaby (1985)

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Soundtracks

Brenda Brenda
Written by Bob Telson, Lee Breuer, Percy Adlon
Performed by Jearlyn Steele (as Jearlyn Steele-Battle), Marianne Sägebrecht,
Tommy Joe White

User Reviews

Mesmerizing Cafe, Mesmerizing Movie

When this film first started, my first thoughts were to turn to something else because Bagdad Cafe was not what I thought it would be. The movie guide said it was about a large women who brings change to another women's business.

For some reason, I stuck with the movie and was pleasantly surprised. I found myself laughing, crying, cheering, standing, sitting, jumping and even talking to myself. All of this equates to happiness, I felt happy by the time the movie ended and of course, I didn't want Bagdad Cafe to end.

An unlikely German woman named Jasmin (played by Marianne Sägebrecht) appears at this cafe/motel out of no where. She has a suitcase of men's clothes and no car. Her appearance raises the eyebrows of the owner, whose husband just left her, as well as some of the permanent residents of the Cafe. Jack Palance, for one, is a painter who finds Jasmin mesmerizing and wants desperately to paint her. The owner (Brenda) has a son who plays classic piano that no one cares to hear until this woman, who later performs magic, comes along.

By the end of the movie, things are jumping, attitudes have disappeared, and the camaraderie among the cafe staff is unbelievable. This is truly a feel good movie that picks up long after it's slow beginning. It took me to a place, in my heart, that was filled with emotion, song and dance. Bob Telson won an Oscar for best song (Calling You) for this movie in 1989. The song was also mesmerizing and would win again in 2003 if it were up for an award. The owner, played by CCH Pounder, played the role of a lifetime. She should have gotten an award for her performance as well. There's a lot to be learned at the Bagdad Cafe.