By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Volker Schlöndorff
Starring: Alexander Beyer | Bibiana Beglau | Harald Schrott | Martin Wuttke | Nadja Uhl | Richard Kropf
Original language title: Die Stille nach dem Schuss
Country: germany
Year: 2001
Running time: 103
IMDB: http://us.imdb.com/Details?0234805
Diane says: “A terrorist trying to destroy the capitalism of West Germany in the 1970s has her identity changed three times over ten years by the East German government and has to come to terms with living under communism. Great acting by the lead actress. Some very moving scenes.”
Esme says: “Bibiana Beglau steals the show here. Reminiscent of the 80’s-justice-freedom-fighter movies like SALVADOR or the movie about Biko, or THE KILLING FIELDS. With an interesting part of history to tell and a female lead. I think for the first time, I will have a surfeit of women to nominate! Yay!” 3 cats
Laura says: “Director Schlondorff takes a (mostly) debut cast and gets realistic, powerful performances. His work with screenwriter Kohlhaase makes THE LEGEND OF RITA work on many levels – as a character study, a political and historical document and a contrast of East and West. Cinematographer Andreas Hofer provides a documentary look which works well for the story.”
For Laura’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/thelegendofrita.htm”
Michael says: “I saw RITA last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, and really enjoyed the lead actress, Bibiana Beglau, so I wanted to see it again to see if it held up. For me, it did. RITA was directed by Volker Schlöndorff, who directed the powerful, THE TIN DRUM. Rita Vogt is a radical West German terrorist who finally abandons the revolution after a bad encounter with a french police officer. The East German secret service provide her with a new identity in East Germany where Rita tries to start a new life. Beglau is wonderful as she must fashion new lives for herself while always remaining true to her characters beliefs and mannerisms. The plot is somewhat confusing in its German politics, but the real joy for me is seeing this scintillating performance. The scenes where Rita is suddenly overcome with extreme emotion, both positive and negative, are powerfully effective for me.”
Robin says: “Schlondorff, with a veteran team behind the camera, gives the film a sound period feel of the 70’s and 80’s. The flick has a docu quality in its realism, provided by cinematographer Andreas Hofer. Costumer Anne-Gret Oehme and make-up artists Jeanette-Nicole Latzelsberger and Karin Stephan do a seamless job of clothing and aging the characters over a decade plus time, oftentimes as disguises to hide the fugitives’ identities. Cheesy East German rock music works wonderfully in putting you where the filmmaker wants you to be. Rita’s struggles with right versus wrong, good versus evil, makes for an interesting study of a world little known.”
For Robin’s complete review: “http://www.reelingreviews.com/thelegendofrita.htm”
Scot says: “Lord knows, I don’t mind a talk-y film. This one though, really was working against itself. I’m not sure the terrorists believed in anything particular at all. Sure, they occasionally spouted socialist rhetoric over bratwurst cookouts, but they never voluntarily take any action toward a greater goal after the first bank robbery. Even the two events that label Rita ‘dangerous’ were botch-ups and a result of bad circumstance.
“The film felt like a star vehicle for German TV actress Beglau and that audiences are meant to feel for the actress as much as the character. In the end though, I felt very distant from her and had very little interest in her fate. That said, I think Beglau is an intriguing actress and I’d see another film simply because she was in it. The romance with the man was mildly interesting, too, though I thought it lacked the cold logic of LA FEMME NIKITA.”
Tim says: “I didn’t take any interest in the politics of this movie, as it only served to confuse me, so I can’t really comment on that aspect of the film. The story of Rita I really enjoyed. The lead actress was great. This film is definitely worth seeing for her
performance.”