The Rabbit Is Me
Encyclopedia
The Rabbit Is Me is an East German drama film
directed by Kurt Maetzig
. It was filmed in 1965, and based on the novel by Manfred Bieler.
, but her hopes are shattered when her brother, Dieter, is sent to prison after being convicted of sedition against the state. She cannot enter university, and turns to work as a waitress. Maria meets and falls in love with Paul Deisler, an older, married man who turns out to be the judge who convicted her brother. Their affair ends when Deisler is exposed as hypocritical and corrupt. After Dieter's release, he learns of his sister's relationship with the judge and assaults her. Eventually, Maria decides to distance herself from both of them, and determines to pursue her old wish.
at January 1963, during which the establishment allowed a measure of liberalization in the cultural life of East Germany. Although Bieler's novel was highly critical of the court system, he and Maetzig took care to include several "alibi scenes" in the film that were intended to put the state in a better light and also prevent the banning of the picture. The scenes were also meant to present the judicial reforms that took place between 1961 and 1963.
took power in the Soviet Union and introduced a conservative, more repressive course on cultural questions. The film, alongside eleven other cinematic works that were deemed politically damaging, was banned by the Central Committee of the SED in its XI Plenum, at December 1965.It was only made legal again in 1990. The banned films were known as "cellar films" or "rabbit films" - the second sobriquet was derived from the film's title.
At 1990, shortly before the collapse of the Eastern Block, the picture was released for public screening, and presented in the Berlin and Locarno film festivals. It was elected as one of the 100 most important German films at 1995 by a group of historians and critics.
Daniela Berghahn noted that The Rabbit is Me was unprecedented in its portrayal of judicial corruption, sexual themes and criticism of the East German establishment.
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Kurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig is an East German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in the GDR. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of East Germany. He currently lives in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and has three children....
. It was filmed in 1965, and based on the novel by Manfred Bieler.
Plot
The 19-year-old Maria Morzeck dreams of studying SlavisticsSlavistics
Slavic studies or Slavistics is the academic field of area studies concerned with Slavic areas, Slavic languages, literature, history, and culture. Originally, a Slavist or Slavicist was primarily a linguist or philologist who researches Slavistics, a Slavic or Slavonic scholar...
, but her hopes are shattered when her brother, Dieter, is sent to prison after being convicted of sedition against the state. She cannot enter university, and turns to work as a waitress. Maria meets and falls in love with Paul Deisler, an older, married man who turns out to be the judge who convicted her brother. Their affair ends when Deisler is exposed as hypocritical and corrupt. After Dieter's release, he learns of his sister's relationship with the judge and assaults her. Eventually, Maria decides to distance herself from both of them, and determines to pursue her old wish.
Cast
- Angelika Waller as Maria Morzeck
- Alfred Müller as Paul Deister
- Ilse Voigt as aunt Hete
- Wolfgang Winkler as Dieter Morzeck
- Irma Münch as Gabriele Deister
- Rudolf UlrichRudolf UlrichRudolf Ulrich was a German film actor. He appeared in 67 films between 1954 and 1986.-Selected filmography:* Duped Till Doomsday * Brücke zwischen gestern und morgen * The Rabbit Is Me...
as Grambov - Helmut Schellhardt as the mayor
- Annemarie Esper as Edith
- Willi Schrade as Ulli
- Willi Narloch as Oscar
Production
The film was based on Manfred Bieler's book Maria Morzeck or the Rabbit is Me. It was made in the aftermath of the VI Party Congress of the Socialist Unity PartySocialist Unity Party of Germany
The Socialist Unity Party of Germany was the governing party of the German Democratic Republic from its formation on 7 October 1949 until the elections of March 1990. The SED was a communist political party with a Marxist-Leninist ideology...
at January 1963, during which the establishment allowed a measure of liberalization in the cultural life of East Germany. Although Bieler's novel was highly critical of the court system, he and Maetzig took care to include several "alibi scenes" in the film that were intended to put the state in a better light and also prevent the banning of the picture. The scenes were also meant to present the judicial reforms that took place between 1961 and 1963.
Reception
The short era of liberalization ended gradually when Leonid BrezhnevLeonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
took power in the Soviet Union and introduced a conservative, more repressive course on cultural questions. The film, alongside eleven other cinematic works that were deemed politically damaging, was banned by the Central Committee of the SED in its XI Plenum, at December 1965.It was only made legal again in 1990. The banned films were known as "cellar films" or "rabbit films" - the second sobriquet was derived from the film's title.
At 1990, shortly before the collapse of the Eastern Block, the picture was released for public screening, and presented in the Berlin and Locarno film festivals. It was elected as one of the 100 most important German films at 1995 by a group of historians and critics.
Daniela Berghahn noted that The Rabbit is Me was unprecedented in its portrayal of judicial corruption, sexual themes and criticism of the East German establishment.
Literature
- Günter Adge (Hrsg.): Kahlschlag. Das 11. Plenum des ZK der SED. Studien und Dokumente. 2. erweiterte Auflage. Aufbau Taschenbuch, Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-7466-8045-X.
- Christiane Mückenberger (Hrsg.): Prädikat: Besonders schädlich. Filmtexte. Henschel Verlag, Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-362-00478-4.
- Ingrid Poss, Peter Warnecke (Hrsg.): Spur der Filme. Zeitzeugen über die DEFA. Links, Berlin 2006, ISBN 3-86153-401-0, (Schriftenreihe der DEFA-Stiftung).
- Neues DeutschlandNeues DeutschlandNeues Deutschland is a national German daily newspaper. It was the official party newspaper of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany , which governed the German Democratic Republic , and as such served as one of the party's most important organs...
, 6. Januar 1966. - Frankfurter RundschauFrankfurter RundschauThe Frankfurter Rundschau is a German daily newspaper, based in Frankfurt am Main. It is published every day but Sunday as a city, two regional and one nationwide issues and offers an online edition as well as an e-paper...
1990.
External links
- original 1965 poster on ostfilm.de.