The Young Karl Marx (2017)

The early years of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Jenny Marx, between Paris, Brussels and London.

Director:

Raoul Peck

Writers:

Pascal Bonitzer (screenplay), Raoul Peck (screenplay)

Stars:

August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
August Diehl	...	Karl Marx
Stefan Konarske	...	Friedrich Engels
Vicky Krieps	...	Jenny von Westphalen-Marx
Olivier Gourmet	...	Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
Hannah Steele	...	Mary Burns
Alexander Scheer	...	Wilhelm Weitling
Hans-Uwe Bauer	...	Arnold Ruge
Michael Brandner	...	Joseph Moll
Ivan Franek	...	Mikhail Aleksandrovich Bakunin
Peter Benedict	...	Herr Engels
Marie Meinzenbach	...	Lenchen
Niels-Bruno Schmidt	...	Karl Grün
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Wiebke Adam	...	Frau Ruge
Aran Bert	...	Paddy (as Aran Bertetto)
Ronald Beurms	...	Officer

Storyline

26 year-old Karl Marx embarks with his wife, Jenny, on the road to exile. In 1844 Paris, he meets Friedrich Engels, an industrialist's son, who investigated the sordid birth of the British working-class. Engels, the dandy, provides the last piece of the puzzle to the young Karl Marx's new vision of the world. Together, between censorship and the police's repression, riots and political upheavals, they will lead the labor movement during its development into a modern era.

---

Plot Keywords:

karl marx | poverty | philosopher | factory | reference to friedrich engels | 

---

Genres:

Biography | Drama | History

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

French visa # 114370.

---

Quotes

Pierre-Joseph Proudhon: [to Marx] Do not be like Luther who, after destroying Catholic dogma, founded an equally intolerant religion.

---

Soundtracks

Like a Rolling Stone
Written and Performed by Bob Dylan

User Reviews

before the grey

Greetings again from the darkness. When the name Karl Marx comes up, most of us recall that iconic photo of the older gentleman with the large grey beard. As with all older gents, they were once young men, and that's the focus of this film from writer/director Raoul Peck and co-writer Pascal Bonitzer.

The story kicks off in 1843 when young Marx was the editor of "Rheinische Zeitung" and carries us through the 1848 publication of "The Communist Manifesto". We progress chronologically through Paris, Brussels and London and witness how Marx's personal life and ideological mission intertwined, leading ultimately to the birth of Communism.

August Diehl (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) plays Karl Marx and Stefan Konarske plays Friedrich Engels. Their mutual admiration brought them together and their commitment, along with the support of their wives Jenny Marx (Vicky Krieps, PHANTOM THREAD) and Mary Burns (Hannah Steele), carried them through and cemented their legacies.

With the endless string of debates and discussion, and the constant struggle with poverty for Marx and his family, the film at times seems repetitive and tedious. It does, however, succeed in making comprehensible the timeline and constant struggle to continue the fight. The process of societal-changing writing is not simple, and we see the different approaches taken by Marx and the upper-crust rebel Engels. The obvious battle between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat remains at the forefront, but we also witness the painstaking networking and research that goes into the work. The two gentlemen share a drink over this toast: "to minds that truly think".

Today, many in their 20's, are focused on which direction to swipe, yet at the same age, Marx and Engels were committed to changing the world. The ideals and issues that so dominated their writings (and led to revolution) are every bit as relevant today. We no longer use the terms Bourgeoisie or Proletariat, but class distinction continues to be debated as a source of many global issues - both social and economic. Director Peck (Oscar nominated for last year's I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO) uses Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" over the closing credits montage of revolutions and historic turning points to ensure we understand that rebellions and convictions do still exist.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

France Belgium Germany

Language:

German French English

Release Date:

2 March 2017 (Germany)

Also Known As:

The Young Karl Marx

Filming Locations:

France

Box Office

Budget:

EUR9,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$26,097, 25 February 2018

Gross USA:

$125,659

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,870,373

Company Credits

Production Co:

Agat Films & Cie, Velvet Film, Velvet Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

118 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital (as Dolby 5.1)

Color:

Color Black and White (archive footage)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1