The Lives of Others (2006)

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.

Director:

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Writer:

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

Stars:

Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch

Top Rated Movies #58 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 79 wins & 38 nominations.

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	...	Minister Bruno Hempf
Hans-Uwe Bauer	...	Paul Hauser
Volkmar Kleinert	...	Albert Jerska
Matthias Brenner	...	Karl Wallner
Charly Hübner	...	Udo
Herbert Knaup	...	Gregor Hessenstein
Bastian Trost	...	Häftling 227
Marie Gruber	...	Frau Meineke
Volker Michalowski	...	Schriftexperte (as Zack Volker Michalowski)
Werner Daehn	...	Einsatzleiter in Uniform
Martin Brambach	...	Einsatzleiter Meyer

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.

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Plot Keywords:

stasi | spy | political thriller | propaganda | police | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some sexuality/nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

First feature film directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.

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Goofs

Christa-Maria and Georg's apartment is in Wedekind street in Friedrichshain, as confirmed in the DVD commentary. The buildings in the entire quarter surrounding Wedekindstr were part of a massive rebuilding project in the GDR, and were completed in the early 1950s. All of the balconies that can be seen while Georg is playing football with the children on the street, along with the ceramic work illustrate the particular Soviet style really clearly. However, the interior of the apartment and most of what we see of the building interior is what would be called 'alt bau', effectively 'old style' - the apartment has high ceilings, the stairwells have carved wooden balustrades and doors which clearly predate the 50s. When the Stasi men come through the front doors for the first time, you can see the interior of these buildings as they really look, in the next shot the style has gone back at least 40 years.

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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.

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Connections

Referenced in Fargo: The Law of Vacant Places (2017)

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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.

User Reviews

Intelligent and moving dealing with GDR history

East Berlin, November 1984. Five years before its downfall the GDR seeks to maintain its power with the help of a merciless system of control and observation. When Oberstleutnant Anton Grubitz puts loyal Stasi-Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler on to the famous writer Georg Dreymann and his girlfriend Christa Maria Sieland who is a famous actress herself, he expects career advancement for himself. For most important politicians are responsible for this "operative act".

What Wiesler did not expect: the intimate view on the world of the ones he's observing changes the snitch as well. Looking at "the life of the others" makes him aware of the beggarliness in his own life and enables access to a so far unknown world of love, free thinking and speaking he is hardly able to elude. But the system can't be stopped anymore and a dangerous game, which destroys the love of Christa Maria Sieland and Georg Dreymann and Wieslers present existence begins.

Until the fall of the wall each of them has paid a big price. After that a whole new world begins.

My personal opinion - though it doesn't count that much - is that this one a an absolute Must See. I can hardly remember such an intelligent and moving German movie especially not including the whole topic of GDR history and the dealing with it. I think this is the first German movie which shows this system as it used to be (which has been confirmed by several contemporary witnesses) and not turns it and its people into comedy though there have been several good ones, of course.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

Germany France

Language:

German

Release Date:

30 March 2007 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Lives of Others

Filming Locations:

Gedenkstätte Hohenschönhausen, Hohenschönhausen, Berlin, Germany

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion, Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR), ARTE

Technical Specs

Runtime:

137 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1