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The Lives of Others

Original title: Das Leben der Anderen
  • 2006
  • R
  • 2h 17m
IMDb RATING
8.4/10
397K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,068
14
Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, and Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others (2006)
DramaMysteryThriller

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.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.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
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    8.4/10
    397K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,068
    14
    • Director
      • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
    • Writer
      • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
    • Stars
      • Ulrich Mühe
      • Martina Gedeck
      • Sebastian Koch
    • 581User reviews
    • 228Critic reviews
    • 89Metascore
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #58
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 80 wins & 38 nominations total

    Photos70

    Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Martina Gedeck in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Ulrich Mühe in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Thomas Arnold, Thomas Thieme, and Ulrich Tukur in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Martina Gedeck and Sebastian Koch in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Ulrich Mühe and Ulrich Tukur in The Lives of Others (2006)
    Ulrich Mühe and Ulrich Tukur in The Lives of Others (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Ulrich Mühe
    Ulrich Mühe
    • Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler
    Martina Gedeck
    Martina Gedeck
    • Christa-Maria Sieland
    Sebastian Koch
    Sebastian Koch
    • Georg Dreyman
    Ulrich Tukur
    Ulrich Tukur
    • Oberstleutnant Anton Grubitz
    Thomas Thieme
    • Minister Bruno Hempf
    Hans-Uwe Bauer
    • Paul Hauser
    Volkmar Kleinert
    Volkmar Kleinert
    • Albert Jerska
    Matthias Brenner
    Matthias Brenner
    • Karl Wallner
    Charly Hübner
    Charly Hübner
    • Udo
    Herbert Knaup
    Herbert Knaup
    • Gregor Hessenstein
    Bastian Trost
    • Häftling 227
    Marie Gruber
    Marie Gruber
    • Frau Meineke
    Volker Zack
    Volker Zack
    • Schriftexperte
    • (as Zack Volker Michalowski)
    Werner Daehn
    Werner Daehn
    • Einsatzleiter in Uniform
    Martin Brambach
    Martin Brambach
    • Einsatzleiter Meyer
    Hubertus Hartmann
    • Egon Schwalber
    Thomas Arnold
    Thomas Arnold
    • Nowack
    Hinnerk Schönemann
    Hinnerk Schönemann
    • Unterleutnant Axel Stigler
    • Director
      • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
    • Writer
      • Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      All the listening/recording props in the film are actual Stasi equipment on loan from museums and collectors. The props master had spent two years in a Stasi prison, and insisted upon absolute authenticity, down to the machine used to steam-open up to 600 letters per hour.
    • Goofs
      Secretary Hempf's car is a 1980s stretch version of a Volvo 264. But all the interior scenes are shot using a Mercedes Benz S-Class Pullmann from the time of the film production. In a short clip the Mercedes is also used for an exterior shot, when Grubitz enters the car outside the ministry building.
    • Quotes

      [last lines]

      Buchverkäufer: 29.80. Would you like it gift wrapped?

      Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler: No. It's for me.

    • Alternate versions
      The US version features a written prologue in English, explaining the historical context of the film.
    • Connections
      Featured in Siskel & Ebert: The Best Films of 2006 (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Ich Wurde Wenn Ich Wusste, Dass Ich Konnte
      Performed by 4PS

      Lyrics By Kurt Demmler

      Music By Joachim-Franz Bartzsch

      Published By Edition Air Franz

      (P) 2007 Colosseum Music Entertainment GmbH, Licensed From Sony BMG Music Entertainment (Germany) GmbH

    User reviews581

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    Best film in years
    After seeing the outstanding Pan's Labyrinth, I could not understand how anything could beat it to the Oscar for Best Film, let alone the accolade of Best Foreign Film. That was until I saw The Lives of Others.

    Putting it simply, this is the best film released in years. The framework of the story surrounds a Stasi officer who is assigned to monitor a writer and his actress girlfriend considered loyal to East German regime. That is all I am prepared to reveal because this film operates on so many levels that I wouldn't know where to begin. On the surface this can be enjoyed as a taut drama but essentially it is a study of the human condition and the capacity for compassion and humanity exists in even the most inhumane people. All of this is shot against the backdrop of the greys and browns of communist East Germany.

    As a film it is virtually flawless. The three central performances are nothing short of electric, with particularly Ulrich Muhe giving one of the greatest leading man performances since Al Pacino in The Godfather. None of this would be possible without a brilliant script and exemplary direction, that brings the characters to life extracting the best out of the actors. The result is no words are wasted, and every scene is relevant and expertly conceived. This manages to explore deep issues without being turgid, is moving without being draining and remains gripping and entertaining without being superficial.

    In summary, this is film-making at its finest. It is the sort of movie that you'll go down on bended knee and pay homage to the inventor of cinema, because it is films like this that cinema was created for. You'll forgive a year of tedious sequels and cash cows, for the one day that films like this get released.

    10 out of 10 is too modest.
    helpful•119
    9
    • drgyn2000
    • Apr 13, 2007

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    FAQ7

    • Is this movie based on a book?
    • I do not understand the "telephone joke" that Grubitz tells in the MfS cafeteria
    • How does Dreyman know when he sees the red thumb print on his file that Wiesler saved him?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 30, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Germany
      • France
    • Official site
      • Official site (United States)
    • Language
      • German
    • Also known as
      • Khoảnh Khắc Cuộc Đời
    • Filming locations
      • Gedenkstätte Hohenschönhausen, Hohenschönhausen, Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion
      • Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)
      • ARTE
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $2,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $11,286,112
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $223,000
      • Feb 11, 2007
    • Gross worldwide
      • $77,356,942
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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