At A French Fireside
An französischen Kaminen | |
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Directed by | Progress Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 99 minutes |
Country | East Germany |
Language | German |
At A French Fireside (German: An französischen Kaminen)[1] is an East German film directed by Kurt Maetzig. It was released in 1963.
Plot
Bundeswehr soldier Klaus' regiment is stationed in France, to take part in NATO maneuvers. The soldiers are ordered to be kind to the populace, since the West German High Command wishes the French to forget the atrocities that were committed during the Second World War. Klaus falls in love with Jeanne, the daughter of the local mayor. He discovers that his commanders intend to demolish the ruins of a local church, in which civilians were murdered by the German occupation forces at 1944. A local journalist who researches the event discovers that West German General Rucker ordered the massacre, but he is mysteriously murdered. Klaus defies his commanding officer Siebert, who instructs him to steal the documents implicating Rucker, and hands the evidence over to Jeanne.
Cast
- Arno Wyzniewski - Klaus Wetzlaff
- Angelica Domröse - Jeanne
- Hannjo Hasse - Major Siebert
- Harry Hindemith - Bourguignon
- Raimund Schelcher - Ludovic
- Günther Simon - General Rucker
- Evelyn Cron - Georgette
Production
The film was one of eight major
Reception
The film was poorly received, and was not successful with the audiences.[4] The German Film Lexicon defined At A French Fireside as a "completely unbelievable piece of propaganda".[5] Dagmar Schittly viewed it as a typical "saboteur film", in the tradition of anti-Western DEFA thrillers.[6]
References
- ^ At A French Fireside on DEFA Foundation's website.
- ISBN 978-3-86153-418-1. Page 173.
- ^ Rolf Richter. Kurt Maetzig im Gespräch mit Rolf Richter. Published in Film und Fernsehen. Verband der Film- und Fernsehschaffenden der DDR (1990). ISSN 0323-3227. Page 10.
- ISBN 978-3-362-00039-0. Page 159.
- ^ At A French Fireside. 2001.de.
- ISBN 978-3-86153-262-0. Page 123.
External links
- An französischen Kaminen at IMDb
- At A French Fireside original poster on ostfilm.de.
- At A French Fireside on DEFA Sternstunden.