Taking Sides (2001)

A tale based on the life of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the controversial conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic whose tenure coincided with the controversial Nazi era. One of the most spectacular ... See full summary »

Director:

István Szabó

Writers:

Ronald Harwood (play), Ronald Harwood (screenplay)

Stars:

Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgård, Moritz Bleibtreu

9 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Harvey Keitel	...	Major Steve Arnold
Stellan Skarsgård	...	Dr. Wilhelm Furtwängler
Moritz Bleibtreu	...	Lt. David Wills
Birgit Minichmayr	...	Emmi Straube
Ulrich Tukur	...	Helmut Alfred Rode, 2nd violinist
Oleg Tabakov	...	Colonel Dymshitz
Hanns Zischler	...	Rudolf Otto Werner, oboist
Armin Rohde	...	Schlee, timpanist
R. Lee Ermey	...	General Wallace
August Zirner	...	Captain Ed Martin
Daniel White	...	Sergeant Adams
Thomas Thieme	...	Reichsminister
Jed Curtis	...	Colonel Green
Garrick Hagon	...	Major Richards
Robin Renucci	...	Captain Vernay

Storyline

A tale based on the life of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the controversial conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic whose tenure coincided with the controversial Nazi era. One of the most spectacular and renowned conductors of the 1930s, Furtwangler's reputation rivalled that of Toscanini's. After the war, he was investigated as part of the Allies' de-Nazification program. In the bombed-out Berlin of the immediate post-war period, the Allies slowly bring law and order, and justice, to bear in an occupied Germany. An American Major is given the Furtwangler file, and is told to find everything he can and to prosecute the man ruthlessly. Tough and hard-nosed, Major Steve Arnold sets out to investigate a world of which he knows nothing. Orchestra members vouch for Furtwangler's morality. He did what he could to protect Jewish players from his orchestra. To the Germans, deeply respectful of their musical heritage, Furtwangler was a demigod; to Major Arnold, he is just a lying, weak-willed Nazi.

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Plot Keywords:

musician | bombed out building | courage | army | jitterbug | 

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Genres:

Drama | Music | War

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

France UK Germany Austria

Language:

English Russian French German

Release Date:

7 March 2002 (Germany)

Also Known As:

A torto o a ragione

Filming Locations:

Germany

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,051, 7 September 2003, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$188,952, 14 March 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paladin Production S.A.,Maecenas Film- und Fernseh GmbH,Studio Babelsberg

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min 142 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Major Arnold is listening to the recording of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the record finishes the first movement and carries straight on to the second. Long playing albums, which ran at 33 1/3 rpm, were introduced in 1948, but the record shown is a 78 rpm one. The performance of the 5th Symphony would have been on a set of five 78 rpm records, one movement each, split over the two sides. It should not be possible for the second movement to start without the record being changed.

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Connections

Referenced in Schatten und Licht - Ken Adam, Filmarchitekt (2002)

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Soundtracks

1ST & 4TH MOVEMENTS
(from SYMPHONY NO.5 C MINOR, OP.67)
Music by Ludwig van Beethoven

User Reviews

Excellent and compelling adaptation of stage play

This is really an excellent film containing an Oscar-worthy performance from Stellan Skarsgard as the discredited German conductor Wilhem Furtwengler. Consistently thought-provoking and challenging, and beautifully shot, it's one of the most satisfying movie experiences I've had in a while. Makes Seabiscuit look like the limp, over-produced gunk it was.