Comedian Harmonists (1997)

Director:

Joseph Vilsmaier

Writers:

Jürgen Büscher (story)
Klaus Richter (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1997 (Germany)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Eine Legende kehrt zurück.

Plot:

Comedian Harmonists tells the story of a famous, German male sextet, five vocals and piano, the "Comedian Harmonists"...

Plot Keywords:

Piano | Germany | Nazi | German | Jewish

Awards:

11 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ben Becker	...	Robert Biberti
Heino Ferch	...	Roman Cycowski
Ulrich Noethen	...	Harry Frommermann
Heinrich Schafmeister	...	Erich A. Collin
Max Tidof	...	Ari Leschnikoff
Kai Wiesinger	...	Erwin Bootz
Meret Becker	...	Erna Eggstein
Katja Riemann	...	Mary Cycowski
Noemi Fischer	...	Chantal, Collin's Girlfriend
Dana Vávrová	...	Ursula Bootz
Otto Sander	...	Bruno Levy
Michaela Rosen	...	Ramona, the Madame
Günter Lamprecht	...	Eric Charell
Gérard Semaan	...	Roman's Father
Rolf Hoppe	...	Gauleiter Streicher
Jürgen Schornagel	...	Reich Music Director
Rudolf Wessely	...	Herr Grunbaum
Susi Nicoletti	...	Frau Grunbaum
Giora Feidman	...	Solo Clarinet
Kathi Lindner	...	Garderobiere
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Trude Ackermann	...	Bob's Mother
Babsy Artner	...	Robert Biberti's Girlfriend
Thommi Baake
Anna Kathrin Bleuler	...	Lola
Tina Bordihn	...	Leila
Martin Brambach
Matthew Casazza	...	Trumpet Player, Band on Aircraft Carrier
Michael Cesarano	...	Sailor
Lance Girard	...	Polizist 2
Axel Harney	...	Sailor
Bettina Hirschberg	...	Frau
Susanne Hoss	...	Rosa
Lukas Miko	...	Hans
Veronika Neugebauer	...	Yvonne
Klaus Nierhoff	...	Polizist
Johannes Silberschneider	...	Inspizient
Mitchell Tolentino	...	Sailor
Liv Tullia	...	Girl 1

Directed by
Joseph Vilsmaier

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jürgen Büscher		story
Jürgen Egger		uncredited
Klaus Richter		writer

Produced by
Hanno Huth	....	producer
Reinhard Klooss	....	producer
Danny Krausz	....	producer
Peter Sterr	....	executive producer
Joseph Vilsmaier	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Harald Kloser
Thomas Schobel		(co-composer)

Cinematography by
Joseph Vilsmaier

Film Editing by
Peter R. Adam

Production Design by
Rolf Zehetbauer

Art Direction by
Cornelia Ott

Set Decoration by
Bernhard Henrich

Costume Design by
Ute Hofinger

Makeup Department
Zdenka Klika	....	makeup artist: Czech
Heiner Niehues	....	makeup artist
Ruth Philipp	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Manfred Fritsch	....	production manager
Monika Maruschko	....	production manager
Pavel Nový	....	production manager
Adam Park	....	post-production supervisor
Andreas Payer	....	production manager
Michael Sauerteig	....	production manager
Ralf Zimmermann	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sven Blum	....	assistant director

Art Department
Susanne Hein	....	prop buyer
Jürgen Paptistella	....	property master (as Jürgen Paptisella)
Christian Schaefer	....	assistant set decorator
Friedrich Thaler	....	painter

Sound Department
Stefan Busch	....	supervising sound editor
Tim J. Carroll	....	consultant: Dolby Digital
Heinz Ebner	....	sound
Stephan Fandrych	....	dubbing mixer
Lisa Geffcken-Reinhard	....	adr editor (as Lisa Geffcken)
Dietmar Krenn	....	assistant sound
Dan Edelstein	....	supervising sound editor: US release (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Nastuh Abootalebi	....	digital artist
Manfred Büttner	....	visual effects production manager
Guido Lück	....	visual effects
George Maihöfer	....	visual effects supervisor
Thomas Tannenberger	....	visual effects producer
Dominik Trimborn	....	digital artist: das werk
Frank Wegerhoff	....	technical director

Camera and Electrical Department
Petro Domenigg	....	still photographer
Armin Golisano	....	clapper loader
Kurt Kopecky	....	electrician
Anton Mayer	....	first assistant camera
Eddy Saller	....	gaffer (as Edi Saller)
Ludwig Sauermann	....	grip
Jörg Widmer	....	Steadicam operator

Casting Department
Julia Becker	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Melissa Desrosiers	....	wardrobe assistant
Katharina Henrichs	....	assistant costume designer
Beate Morbach	....	costume assistant
Udo Seltner	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Katja Birklein	....	assistant editor
Marco Pav D'Auria	....	assistant editor
Andrea Dvorak	....	assistant editor

Music Department
William Boston	....	orchestrator
Karin Gatzke	....	music consultant
Karin Gatzke	....	music coordinator
Benoit Grey	....	orchestra contractor
Thomas Wanker	....	composer: additional score

Transportation Department
Alexander Kiening	....	production driver

Other crew
Dina Eichhorn	....	production secretary
Peter Engelmann	....	additional script editor
Alfred Holighaus	....	additional script editor
Ulrich Limmer	....	additional script editor
Leona O'Neill	....	production assistant
Gabie Reiter	....	production accountant
Jonathan Roumie	....	production assistant
Birgit Seidel	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Bavaria Film (presents) (as Bavaria Film International)
• Beta Film (presents)
• Parathon (co-production)
• Iduna Film Produktiongesellschaft (co-production) (as Iduna)
• Bavaria Atelier (co-production) (as Bavaria)
• Senator Film Produktion (co-production) (as Senator)
• Televersal (co-production)
• Dor Film Produktionsgesellschaft (co-production) (as Dor)

Distributors

• Senator Film (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• UFA Video (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Cipa (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1999) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Rialto Film AG (1997) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• UFA Video (1998) (Germany) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Das Werk

Also Known As:

The Harmonists (Canada: English title) (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for some nudity.

Runtime:

Germany:126 min | USA:115 min

Country:

Germany | Austria

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Finland:K-8 | France:U | Germany:6 (f) (bw) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bad Fischau, Lower Austria, Austria

Company:

Bavaria Film

Trivia:

With very few exceptions, all vocal performances heard during the movie were original recordings of the 1930's group. The old material was de-noised and digitally enhanced.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The same building is shown as an exterior establishing shot for both a hotel in Paris and an apartment building in Berlin.

Quotes:

[the group has just been informed that, effective after that night's show, they are banned from performing in Germany. Roman undoes his collar, refusing to go on]
Roman Cycowski: No power on Earth can force me to sing in this country again.
Harry Frommermann: Roman, please.
[the audience begins clapping for the group to come out on stage]
Harry Frommermann: Don't you hear that? Those are our fans. At least for tonight. Do you guys understand? Our fans.

Movie Connections:

References Der blaue Engel (1930)

Childhood memories of radio and politics

Throughout the 30s and 40s, everyone in Germany loved the Comedian Harmonists when they came over the radio, although it must have been the follow-up group rather than the original one. It is interesting and moving to see that original group and hear their songs again; and it illuminates once more the idiocy of the Nazis to silence and drive away such worthwhile people who felt as, and wanted to be, good Germans.

However, their confrontation with the Storm Troopers as shown in the movie, and presumably taking place in 1933, is an unfortunate exaggeration, because window smashing and physical abuse did not occur that early during the Nazi regime. Also, railway stations were not adorned with giant swastika flags - they would have turned black quickly from the soot of the steam engines. There was no need by the producers to deviate on these points from the historical accuracy - a deviation that throws a somewhat questionable light on the rest of the story.

Yet these producers did manage to find five men who sing beautifully, with the same perfection and tonal range of the Comedian Harmonists, which makes this film eminently enjoyable after all.