The Innocent (1993)

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writers:

Ian McEwan (novel)
Ian McEwan (writer)

Release Date:

1 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

At a time of intrigue. In a world of secrets. The only thing you can trust is your heart.

Plot:

A young engineer is sent to post-WWII Berlin to help the Americans in spying on the Russians. In a time...

Plot Keywords:

Post War | Sexual | Seduction | Mentor | Danger

Cast

Anthony Hopkins	...	Bob Glass
Isabella Rossellini	...	Maria
Campbell Scott	...	Leonard Markham
Hart Bochner	...	Russell
Ronald Nitschke	...	Otto
James Grant	...	MacNamee
Jeremy Sinden	...	Captain Lofting
Richard Durden	...	Black
Corey Johnson	...	Lou
Richard Good	...	Piper
Meret Becker	...	Ulrike
Ludger Pistor	...	German Informer
Matthew Burton	...	Flight Officer
Lena Lessing	...	Jenny
Dana Golombek	...	Charlotte

Also Known As:

...und der Himmel steht still (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, brief language and a sequence of violence.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | Denmark:16 | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Berlin, Germany

Company:

Deutsche Film (DEFA)

Trivia:

Paramount put the project into turnaround three weeks before filming was due to begin, forcing producer Norma Heyman to seek refinancing immediately.

Soundtrack:

ADELHEID

Geez, this was awful!

I knew nothing of this but the fact that it was adapted from a novel by the brilliant Ian McEwan (which I had not read), was directed by John Schlesinger (whose A Kind of Loving, Midnight Cowboy, Sunday Bloody Snday, Far From the Madding Crowd and particularly Darling I have always loved), and starred three actors I liked - Anthony Hopkins, Isabella Rosselini and Campbell Scott.

With these people, how could this have been SO awful? Oh my! From the very beginning, when we see that all three lead actors are chosen for roles different than their own nationalities - an absolutely bizarre Anthony Hopkins with an atrocious American accent playing a character created out of some apparent hatred of Americans, a wee timid Campbell Scott playing an Englishman who had apparently never really left the nursery and an Isabella Rosselini playing a German hausfrau -- we realize something is seriously SERIOUSLY wrong here.

We see scene after tedious scene that we've witnessed filmed FAR more interestingly in hundreds of other films.

We care nothing for the characters.

There are whole plot angles that are simply left dangling.

This is a disaster. Avoid it.