Der scharlachrote Buchstabe (1973)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Wim Wenders

Writers:

Tankred Dorst (scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika)
Ursula Ehler (scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika)
(more)

Release Date:

January 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot:

In 17th-century Salem, Hester Prynne must wear a scarlet A because she is an adulteress, with a child out of wedlock...

Plot Keywords:

Adulteress | Sexuality | Pariah | Historical | Based On Novel

Cast

Senta Berger	...	Hester Prynne
Hans Christian Blech	...	Roger Chillingworth
Lou Castel	...	Rev. Dimmesdale
Yelena Samarina	...	Mistress Hibbins, the daughter of Gov. Bellingham
Yella Rottländer	...	Pearl
William Layton	...	Gov. Bellingham
Alfredo Mayo	...	Gov. Fuller
Ángel Álvarez	...	Rev. Wilson
Laura Currie	...	Sarah
Tito García	...	Church Attendant
Lorenzo Robledo	...	Captain
Rafael Albaicín	...	Indian
José Villasante	...	Shop Owner
Rüdiger Vogler	...	The Sailor
José Vivó
Julián del Monte
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Antonio Cintado
Eduardo Fajardo
Antonio Orengo

Directed by
Wim Wenders

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tankred Dorst		scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika
Ursula Ehler		scenario Der Herr klagt über sein Volk in der Wildnis Amerika
Bernardo Fernández		writer
Nathaniel Hawthorne		novel "The Scarlet Letter"
Wim Wenders		writer

Produced by
Volker Canaris	....	producer
Peter Schamoni	....	line producer
Joachim von Mengershausen	....	producer

Original Music by
Jürgen Knieper

Cinematography by
Robby Müller

Film Editing by
Peter Przygodda

Production Design by
Adolfo Cofiño
Manfred Luetz

Costume Design by
Carmen Marín

Makeup Department
Ingrid Thier	....	hair stylist
Ingrid Thier	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Primitivo Álvaro	....	production manager
Peter Genée	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bernardo Fernández	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Christian Schubert	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Martin Schäfer	....	assistant camera
Martin Schäfer	....	still photographer
Heide M. Weis	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
Barbara von Weitershausen	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Luis de Pablo	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Astrid Graue	....	continuity
Pablo Martinez	....	production assistant
Thomas Schamoni	....	technique

Production Companies

• Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.
• Filmverlag der Autoren
• Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR)

Distributors

• Filmverlag der Autoren (1973) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Bauer International (1977) (USA) (subtitled)
• Europa Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD) (Portuguese subtitles)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Pacific Arts (video)
• Ripley's Home Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (DVD)

Also Known As:

La letra escarlata (Spain)
The Scarlet Letter (USA)

Runtime:

Spain:78 min | West Germany:90 min | USA:90 min

Country:

West Germany | Spain

Language:

German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:12 | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Finland:K-11

Filming Locations:

Cologne, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L.

Movie Connections:

Version of The Scarlet Letter (1917)

Disappointing meeting of two great artists

Wenders has made some extraordinary films, but this is not one of them. Low budget, poor acting, and a terrible score render this film a total failure; the subtle intermixture of fantasy and reality that is so characteristic a trait of Hawthorne's novel is wholly lacking in Wenders' adaptation which comes dangerously close to unintended parody at times.