8.4/10
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525 user 224 critic

La vie des autres (2006)

Das Leben der Anderen (original title)
Tous publics | | Drama, Mystery, Thriller | 31 January 2007 (France)
In 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police, conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover, finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.
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Popularity
899 ( 61)
Top Rated Movies #58 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 79 wins & 38 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martina Gedeck ... Christa-Maria Sieland
Ulrich Mühe ... Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler
Sebastian Koch ... Georg Dreyman
Ulrich Tukur ... Oberstleutnant Anton Grubitz
Thomas Thieme Thomas Thieme ... Minister Bruno Hempf
Hans-Uwe Bauer Hans-Uwe Bauer ... Paul Hauser
Volkmar Kleinert ... Albert Jerska
Matthias Brenner ... Karl Wallner
Charly Hübner ... Udo
Herbert Knaup ... Gregor Hessenstein
Bastian Trost Bastian Trost ... Häftling 227
Marie Gruber ... Frau Meineke
Volker Michalowski ... Schriftexperte (as Zack Volker Michalowski)
Werner Daehn ... Einsatzleiter in Uniform
Martin Brambach ... Einsatzleiter Meyer
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Storyline

Gerd Wiesler is an officer with the Stasi, the East German secret police. The film begins in 1984 when Wiesler attends a play written by Georg Dreyman, who is considered by many to be the ultimate example of the loyal citizen. Wiesler has a gut feeling that Dreyman can't be as ideal as he seems, and believes surveillance is called for. The Minister of Culture agrees but only later does Wiesler learn that the Minister sees Dreyman as a rival and lusts after his partner Christa-Maria. The more time he spends listening in on them, the more he comes to care about them. The once rigid Stasi officer begins to intervene in their lives, in a positive way, protecting them whenever possible. Eventually, Wiesler's activities catch up to him and while there is no proof of wrongdoing, he finds himself in menial jobs - until the unbelievable happens. Written by garykmcd

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Where power is absolute, nothing is private. [Scandinavian Blu-ray.] See more »


Certificate:

Tous publics | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The Brecht poem that Wiesler reads is called "Erinnerung an die Marie A.". See more »

Goofs

As Minister Hempf is munching on a cutlet, the bitten parts change between shots. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Guard: [subtitled version] Stand still. Eyes to the floor.
[pause]
Guard: Walk on.
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Alternate Versions

The US version features a written prologue in English, explaining the historical context of the film. See more »

Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Best Movies of 2006 (2016) See more »

Soundtracks

Verrat
Performed by The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Adam Klemens
Piano Soloist: Jaromir Klepac, Guitar Soloist: Jaroslav Novák
Composed By Gabriel Yared, Stéphane Moucha
© & (p) 2006 Colosseum Schallplatten GmbH, under exclusive license of Gabriel Yared, Stéphane Moucha & Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Germany) GmbH.
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User Reviews

 
A German Expat Feels his first pang of forlorn German patriotism
16 October 2007 | by nick-6See all my reviews

This film utterly blew me away. Full disclosure: I'm a German born (Munich born) German-American who left Germany in 1986, before the wall came down. I cannot describe the feeling I felt as the last few words were spoken on the screen. I could not look at the subtitles ( a habit of speaking two languages ) because my eyes were so full of tears. I cannot tell you how I was so sorry I did not experience the wall coming down. This film healed a wound that may have been left by the nightmare years of 1938-1945, my own great uncle being a Nazi war criminal, convicted in Nuremberg in 1946. Yes, we are mensch too. We have the potential for greatness (of character) in spite of our history. Thank you Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, for giving me back half of my lost soul in this single "es ist für mich". I am reminded again that the difference between ourselves and beasts is that we have a choice.


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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

Germany | France

Language:

German

Release Date:

31 January 2007 (France) See more »

Also Known As:

La vie des autres See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$223,000, 11 February 2007

Gross USA:

$11,286,112

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$77,356,942
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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