Retrospektive

Taking Sides - Der Fall FurtwänglerTaking Sides - Der Fall Furtwängler / Taking Sides - Á tort et á raison / Taking Sides
Deutschland / Frankreich / Großbritannien / Germany / France / Great Britain 2001
105 MIN / 35mm, Farbe, OF
REGIE / DIRECTOR: István Szabó



Buch/Screenplay: Ronald Harwood
nach seinem Bühnenstück
Kamera/Cinematography: Lajos Koltai
Production Design/Production Design: Ken Adam
Ausstattung/Art Director: Anja Müller
Schnitt/Editor: Sylvie Landra
Produzent/Producer: Yves Pasquier
Darsteller/Cast: Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgård, Moritz Bleibtreu, Birgit Minichmayr, Ulrich Tukur, Hanns Zischler
Produktion/Production: Little Big Bear Film Production GmbH, Potsdam
MBP, München
Maecenas Film- und Fernsehproduktion, München
Studio Babelsberg GmbH, Potsdam-Babelsberg
Paladin Production S.A., Paris
Twanpix Ltd., London
Jeremy Isaacs Productions, London


Caligari: 14.04. 14.00 Uhr


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István SzabóGermany, after the end of World War II. During the process of denazification US-major Steve Arnold has to cross-examine the legendary German conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler. The Americans want to make an example of this case, as Furtwänger, instead of seeking exile abraod, had continually worked on his career even after Hitler came to power. According to Steve Arnold the conductor has become partly responsible for the nazi crimes. Furtwänger however regards himself merely as an artist and vehemently denies any involvement in the political events. There are several witnesses in favor of the conductor, but Arnold is determined not to be talked out of is belief that Furtwänger was a collaborateur. So the striving interrogations become more and more a personal crusade of Arnold, seething with hatred against "Adolfs Bandleader". Even Arnold's assistant, a young jew of German origin, and the woman that takes down the minutes and whose father had been executed for high treason by the nazis, are shocked at the unscrupulous methods of the American. Finally an informer delivers alleged "explosive" informations to Arnold about Furtwänglers political attitudes…