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 & 3 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:

gas station | motel | magic | desert | restaurant | 

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Taglines:

Stuck between a rock and a hot plate.

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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

The restaurant used in the film is still operating and is located on National Trails Highway (Rt.66) in Newberry Springs, CA and is now called "Bagdad Cafe" after the film. The motel (closed) and the trailer (now derelict) are still present on the property.

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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

Phyllis: [nonchalantly plopping down in front of her mother's office desk after she's been out with some friends] Hi, mom! That trucker was a real cute dude, for a trucker. Like, I mean, he let me off in town, and I ran into Reggie, and so we buzzed around in his cruise-mobile over to Devil's Playground. Then we ran into these really grody airheads...
Phyllis: [noticing her mother's nicely cleaned and organized office desk] What happened here?
Brenda: [normal voice] Pick up your shit, sweetie.
Phyllis: [...]

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Alternate Versions

Original German version runs 20 minutes longer than the US release.

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Connections

Featured in Pisces (2000)

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Soundtracks

Calling You
Written by Bob Telson
Performed by Jevetta Steele

User Reviews

Magic in the desert and music by Bach

"Out of Rosenheim" is a film about how the kind Jasmin touches the lives of other people that at first disdain her. In fact, Jasmin is an angel that happens to come to the help of the poor people at the seedy motel and cafe because she perceives beauty where there is ugliness, hope where there was despair and turns everyone around to appreciate her for what she contributes to enhance their lives.

Percy Adlon, who is an original filmmaker, scored a big success with this simple film that, judging by some negative responses to this forum, can either make the viewer love it for its subtle charm, or just be perplexed because there is no action. Yet, Mr. Adlon, writing with his wife, Eleonor and Christopher Doherty, created a film that will stay in the viewer's mind for some time to come.

As the film opens, we watch Jasmin and her husband taking a break in their journey through the desert. As they quarrel, Jasmin decides to leave him and gets her suitcase out of the trunk to walk along the solitary highway to find a place where to rest. Before that, we have seen a strange sort of mirage in the desert horizon where two surreal lights are seen through some mist. Those lights seem to guide Jasmin as to what route to take in order to continue her journey, or maybe she is just an angel with a mission, as the film continues.

As Jasmin arrives at the seedy cafe that is next to the motel, she encounters a hostile Brenda, a black woman who is struggling to make the cafe and motel work with little success. Jasmin is given a room, but being suspicious, Brenda calls the local sheriff to investigate what is she doing at her place, but since there is nothing wrong, Brenda can't do anything.

Jasmin upon discovering the cleaning tools in her room gets an inspiration to continue to straighten the rest of the place. She goes and cleans Brenda's office, which is in a state of chaos. When Brenda gets back, she is horrified watching the confusion she left behind has been turned into a neater place where to conduct business. She can't concede the fact to Jasmin, who she still considers an unwelcome guest that has overstayed and has committed the ultimate sin of making Brenda aware of the messy state of her place and her life.

When Jasmin discovers in her husband's suitcase a kit about learning magic, she begins to practice the different tricks that she shows the others in the cafe. Rudi Cox, the strange man living in a trailer in the property, is a painter; he decides he wants to paint Jasmin and little by little he discovers the beauty of his subject who seems to radiate it from inside her soul.

The film owes a great deal of gratitude to Marianne Sagebrecht, one of the most accomplished actresses from Germany who is an asset to anything where she is cast. Ms. Sagebrecht steals the film because of the luminosity she projects; she seems to cast an aura that others see and are instantly won over by her kindness and her generosity.

CCH Pounder, makes a good contribution to the film. Her Brenda is at the beginning harsh, curt and just plain nasty because the way life has treated her. Jack Palance doesn't have much of a role to play, but his chemistry with Ms. Sagebrecht makes a sweet distraction for the movie.

"Out of Rosenheim" is a film in which nothing seems to happen, yet it is packed with a powerful message that comes across as one watches it. Percy Adlon and his star, Marianne Sagebrecht, made a timeless film that will survive the passage of time.