Effi Briest (1974)

Synopsis

In the nineteenth century, seventeen year old Effi Briest is married to the older Baron von Instetten and moves into a house, that she believes has a ghost, in a small isolated Baltic town.

She soon bears a daughter, Annie, and hires the lapsed Catholic Roswitha to look after her. Effi is lonely when her husband is away on business, so she spends time riding and walking along the shore with Major Crampas.

Instetten is promoted to Ministerial Councillor and the family moves to Berlin, where Effi enjoys the social life.



Six years later, the Baron is given letters from Crampas to Effi that convince him that they had an affair. He feels obliged to challenge Crampas to a duel and banish Effi from the house.

Cast: Hanna Schygulla, Wolfgang Schenck, Ulli Lommel, Lilo Pempeit, Herbert Steinmetz, Ursula Strätz, Irm Hermann, Karlheinz Böhm, Karl Scheydt, Barbara Lass, Eva Mattes, Margit Carstensen, Kurt Raab, Andrea Schober
 

Fassbinder adapted the screenplay from German author Theodor Fontane's 1894 novel of the same name about a young 19th century woman whose affair with a charismatic womanizer has long-term effects on her marriage to an older man. The film uses Fontane's words in dialogue, narration and text of letters.

The film won the 1974 Interfilm Award at the 24th Berlin International Film Festival and was nominated for the Golden Bear.

Read about this film

Country: Germany
Language: German
Color: Black & White
Runtime: 140 min.