BERLIN TUNNEL 21

US, 1981, 141 minutes, Colour.
Richard Thomas, Horst Buchholz, Jose Ferrer, Nicholas Farrell, Kenneth Griffith.
Directed by Richard Michaels.

A telemovie made for the 20th anniversary of the building of the Berlin wall. It is sincere and moving although very long. Filmed on location, it has the atmosphere of divided Berlin. There is a German supporting cast but Richard Thomas makes the film accessible for international audiences. There are several sub-plots which merge together for the final attempt at escape, with joy and with tragedy. There is a postscript with footage from John F. Kennedy talking about the Berlin wall and the spirit of freedom. This is a satisfying tribute to Germany and the sufferers from the Berlin wall and a timely reminder of the rights of all individuals to freedom. While it is propaganda, it is a moving and persuasive story.

1. The impact of the film? As human drama, as the memory of history, as a reminder of the clashes between East and West? As propaganda for the West? As a drama highlighting human rights?

2. The impact of the film as a telemovie, for the home audience, emotional involvement, appreciation of the message and point? Availability to a wide audience? For reaction and understanding?

3. The use of Berlin locations, the feel of the city, of the wall itself? The atmosphere of 1961? Germany, divided Germany, American reaction? The epilogue from J. F. Kennedy? Changes in Germany over the 20 years 1961-81? Afterwards?

4. The initial focus on Sandy and Richard Thomas? The ordinary American, his involvement with Lise, his hopes, talk of America and freedom, the similarity of the United States and Germany? Leading to the tanks and the building of the wall, the sudden oppressive situation and the barriers? The symbolism of his being behind the wall? His permissions to go to and fro but the East Germans prohibited? The transition to Joachim and his family, his university career, his younger brother wanting to leave? Family issues and decisions about staying or going? George and his fiancee, the arrest of her father, his decision to drive the car through the barrier, the shooting and his thinking the girl was dead? The uniting of these sub-plots in the building of the tunnel?

5. The visual presentation of East Germany and its drabness, the impact of the separating wall, the barbed wire? The contrast with West Berlin? The physical extent of the wall, the sentries, the story of the escape, hanging all day and crying for help? The barrier to human rights?

6. Sandy and his recruiting of Emmerich for building the wall? His sounding out the factory, the situation in East Berlin, the clash with the young soldier and its later ironies? Emmerich and his finally being persuaded to build the tunnel? Joachim, Georg and Bruno agreeing to help? The film’s communicating the hard work, the frustrations of digging? The techniques for digging and shoring up the tunnel? Danger of floods, collapse? Georg and his tears? Joakim and his injuries and fears about modelling? The background of the men and their working at their ordinary jobs? The strength of motivation to make them dig the tunnel?

7. Sandy and his relationship with Lise, continued contact with her, his contacting the other families and trying to persuade them to leave? Worry about Georg and the discovery of the informer? Emmerich’s shooting the informer and Sandy's inability to do violence? The later encounter with the young policeman, the discovery of his being a spy, luring him to Lise’s apartment, shooting him? His saying List and attempting to help Georg? The irony of his dying in the tunnel and Lise being saved? His being presented as hero - with initiative, concern, hard work compassionate insight, forced to violence?

8. Emmerich and his intensity, the deaths of his relatives in tunnels, his antagonism towards Georg, his discovering the informer with his background, kidnapping him and shooting him, saving his family and rescuing the others? The morality of killing versus saving people through the tunnel?

9. Georg and his love for his fiancée the escape with the car, his helplessness and thinking his girl was dead? The hospitalization of his girlfriend and the blackmailer? Emmerich and Sandy confronting him? His joy at learning of the girl’s freedom? His family being followed and unwilling to go through the tunnel? His waiting for the girl and the irony of their being caught?

10. Bruno and his age, the story of his wife, the encounter with Herr Komansky? His artistic background, the discovery by Herr Komansky and his permission for them to dig? His helping with the escape?

11. Joakim and his university work, his modelling, his hoping his family would come out, their final decision to come with Lise?

12. The young soldier and his giving information, the encounters with Sandy, the build-up to his death? The executions of these informers?

13. The background detail of life in East Germany – family, apartments, cafes? Tension? The contrast with West Berlin?

14. The melodramatics of the actual escape, timing, flooding, the walls collapsing? The pursuit by the East German soldiers?

15. The importance of the epilogue by John F. Kennedy? The point being made about freedom - and its validity? The stances of the West versus the East? As symbolized by the experience of the Berlin wall?