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IMDbPro

Taking Sides

  • 20012001
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 48m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
  • Drama
  • Music
  • War
After the end of World War II, a famous German conductor is accused of loyalty to the Nazi regime. He argues that art and politics are separate. An investigator thinks otherwise.After the end of World War II, a famous German conductor is accused of loyalty to the Nazi regime. He argues that art and politics are separate. An investigator thinks otherwise.After the end of World War II, a famous German conductor is accused of loyalty to the Nazi regime. He argues that art and politics are separate. An investigator thinks otherwise.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • István Szabó
  • Writer
    • Ronald Harwood(play)
  • Stars
    • Harvey Keitel
    • Stellan Skarsgård
    • Moritz Bleibtreu
Top credits
  • Director
    • István Szabó
  • Writer
    • Ronald Harwood(play)
  • Stars
    • Harvey Keitel
    • Stellan Skarsgård
    • Moritz Bleibtreu
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 41User reviews
    • 38Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 9 wins & 3 nominations

    Photos13

    Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgård, and Moritz Bleibtreu in Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel and Ulrich Tukur in Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel in Taking Sides (2001)
    Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)
    Taking Sides (2001)
    Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgård in Taking Sides (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Harvey Keitel
    Harvey Keitel
    • Major Steve Arnoldas Major Steve Arnold
    Stellan Skarsgård
    Stellan Skarsgård
    • Dr. Wilhelm Furtwängleras Dr. Wilhelm Furtwängler
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    Moritz Bleibtreu
    • Lt. David Willsas Lt. David Wills
    Birgit Minichmayr
    Birgit Minichmayr
    • Emmi Straubeas Emmi Straube
    Ulrich Tukur
    Ulrich Tukur
    • Helmut Alfred Rode, 2nd violinistas Helmut Alfred Rode, 2nd violinist
    Oleg Tabakov
    Oleg Tabakov
    • Colonel Dymshitzas Colonel Dymshitz
    Hanns Zischler
    Hanns Zischler
    • Rudolf Otto Werner, oboistas Rudolf Otto Werner, oboist
    Armin Rohde
    Armin Rohde
    • Schlee, timpanistas Schlee, timpanist
    R. Lee Ermey
    R. Lee Ermey
    • General Wallaceas General Wallace
    August Zirner
    August Zirner
    • Captain Ed Martinas Captain Ed Martin
    Daniel White
    • Sergeant Adamsas Sergeant Adams
    Thomas Thieme
    • Reichsministeras Reichsminister
    Jed Curtis
    Jed Curtis
    • Colonel Greenas Colonel Green
    Garrick Hagon
    Garrick Hagon
    • Major Richardsas Major Richards
    Robin Renucci
    Robin Renucci
    • Captain Vernayas Captain Vernay
    Markus Heinicke
    • Attendantas Attendant
    Aleksandar Tesla
    • Projectionistas Projectionist
    Jarreth J. Merz
    Jarreth J. Merz
    • US Soldieras US Soldier
    • Director
      • István Szabó
    • Writer
      • Ronald Harwood(play) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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.
    • Connections
      Edited into Taking Sides Again (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      1ST & 4TH MOVEMENTS
      (from SYMPHONY NO.5 C MINOR, OP.67)

      Music by Ludwig van Beethoven

    User reviews41

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    This is the most rewarding exploration of guilt and innocence since Dead Man Walking, and provides a feast of provocative food for the mind, interlaced with stunning musical interludes.
    I loved everything about this movie. I forgave it's visual staginess including the unreal scenes of bombed-out Berlin seen through the windows, because what was taking place in the foreground was so intensely engaging and gripping. Based on a true story, and set at the time of the Nuremberg trials following WWII, Taking Sides is the tale of US Denazification investigator, Major Steve Arnold's (Harvey Keitel) mission to establish the guilty association of renowned Berlin conductor, Dr. Wilhelm Furtwangler (Stellan Skarsgard) with the Nazis. When other artists left Germany under the Third Reich, Furtwangler stayed on to become Hitler's favourite, conducting his orchestra at the Nurenberg Rally and at Hitler's birthday. Yet he had become a hero to the German people, because of his famous refusal to give the Nazi salute to Hitler himself after the birthday performance; as well as his reputation for assisting the escape from Germany of several Jewish musicians. In a relentless confrontation with Furtwangler and his defenders, Arnold casts an unblinking light on the common human motives - fear and personal ambition - behind Furtwangler's 'heroism' - and behind the inaction of the innumerable German people who claimed ignorance as a justification for their inaction in the face of Nazi evil. Everyone in Germany, it seems, hid Jews and assisted their escape. But what were they hiding Jews from, what was it they were protecting Jews from, asks Arnold, if they did not know what was happening? It is a universal question that confronts each of us, as viewers, for our every failure to take action in the face of injustice. Yet Furtwangler's defence - that art must be above politics, and that his music was was needed by his people to remind them of the sublime possibilities of the human spirit - finds passionately sympathetic support from Arnold's own young assistants, Jewish American, Lt. David Wills (Moritz Bleibtreu), and Emmi Graube (Birgit Minichmayr). How can an outsider possibly know what it was like? asks Emmi of Arnold. What right do you have to judge who was right and who was wrong? A complex dilemma with a complex resolution, an array of rich characterisations and splendid musical interludes combine to make this one of the most deeply rewarding cinematic experiences possible to the idea-famished mind.
    helpful•13
    1
    • marclar
    • Nov 30, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 7, 2002 (Germany)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • United Kingdom
      • Germany
      • Austria
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
      • French
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Taraf tutmak
    • Filming locations
      • Germany
    • Production companies
      • Paladin Production S.A.
      • Maecenas Film- und Fernseh GmbH
      • Studio Babelsberg
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $188,952
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $22,051
      • Sep 7, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $422,832
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 48 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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