Displaying items by tag: Liv Lissa Fries

THE CONFESSIONS OF FELIX KRULL/ Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers Felix Krull

Germany, 2021, 114 minutes, Colour.

Jannis Niewohner, David Kross, Liv Lisa Fries, Nicholas Ofczarek, Maria Furtwangler, Joachim Krol.

Directed by Detlev Buck.

This is another version of the novel by celebrated author, Thomas Mann. Several times filmed, especially in a version starring Horst Buchholz, the title here emphasises not just the name of Felix Krull but the indication that he is a conman.

The initial setting is Paris, 1900, scenes of the streets, scenes of the restaurants, apartments, a great deal of atmosphere. While the film’s framework is in the present, there are a number of flashbacks, especially to Felix and his childhood, the influence of his father, his ambitions, his relationship with the Zaza, his manipulating of his stepfather for a recommendation to go to work in a Paris restaurant, his presumptions on arrival, being put in his place, domination of the staff taking a percentage of earnings.

The film shows Felix, now named Armand at the hotel, at first somewhat naive, then adapting to the situation, and then learning to exploit it. And Zaza comes to Paris, more complications.

Jannis Niewohner is very effective as Felix. Popular actor, David Kross, plays a wealthy young man who becomes a target of manipulation by Felix and Zaza. Zaza is played by Liv Lisa Fries (contrasting rules as Freud’s daughter in Freud’s Last Session and strongly in the World War II film, From Hilde With Love.)

Ultimately, there are more situations to be faced. The wealthy young man will be disinherited if he marries Zaza. He and Felix were to change roles? And what would be Zaza’s actual decision even with her love for Felix?

Which means that this film is a lavish period piece, a portrait of a conman who is not entirely unsympathetic, the setting up of a moral dilemma and its consequences.

1. Novel, Thomas Mann as author? The different versions over the decades? 21^st-century version?
2. The title, the emphasis on the confessions, the focus on Felix, the title indicating his role as a conman?
3. Paris, the 1900 settings, the visuals, costumes and decor, the boulevards, the hotels, facades, lavish interiors, elevator, rooms, servants’ quarters? The resort sequences? Portugal, the tennis, the audience with the king? The musical score?
4. The structure of the film, the focus on Felix, dressing, the coin for the young begging child, the hotel, his work, his status, the relationship with Zaza, the meeting with Louis, the framework of the conversation at the hotel, waiting for Zaza? The insertion of the range of flashbacks, Felix as a child, his father, lavish lifestyle, poor fInancial management, his wife, the godfather present, the creditors, his killing himself? His advice to his son? The episode at the meal, Felix as Hamlet, revenge, the parallel with his mother and godfather, his blackmailing his godfather, the money, the letter of recommendation to Paris, his leaving?
5. His military service, the rehearsing with Zaza about his possible epilepsy, going to the interview, the man feigning epilepsy, Felix and his different approach, provider, incessant talk, overwhelming the interviewers, his being declared not fit?
6. The conversation with Louis, the further flashbacks, the meeting with the Zaza, her background, available, the use of con tricks, the relationship between the two? Felix going to Paris, her later following him there, the relationship, the affair? Her wanting money? The attachment to Louis? Fostered by Felix? The night for Zaza to meet with Louis, Felix detaining him with the conversation?
7. The flashbacks to Felix at the hotel, letter recommendation, his confidence, at the main desk, relegated to the servants’ quarters, the encounter with Stanko, money issues, the others in subservience, the threats of being fired, the collusion between Stanko and the other managers?
8. Felix becoming Armand, the lift, the encounter with Madame Houpfle, style, arrogance, her husband and the production of toilets, humiliating Armand, carrying the shopping, closing the door, the sexual encounter, the delay, the jewellery, handing over the money, taking the jewellery to the cellar, the handling, Felix asserting himself, stealing the jewellery, the money for Stanko? The continued relationship? Style of the hotel?
9. Felix/Armand and the other guests, the Scottish lord, the offer, to be his heir, his conscience, refusing the offer? Eleanor Twentyman, her chaperone, the attraction, attempted seduction, Felix and his conscience? The denunciation of Stanko and his dismissal?
10. The relationship with Zaza, intensity? Her activity in the hotel, Stanko and his threats?
11. Louis, rich, an effete manner, at the hotel, tone of superiority, the encounter with Zaza, infatuation, wanting to marry her, his father’s forbidding it, wanting her and his money? Felix engaging in conversation, the revelation of his character?
12. The development of the proposal, Felix going in Louis’ stead, Louis and the money, going away with Zaza? The details? In the train, the encounter with his father? The financial arrangements, Felix becoming Louis? The tickets and the travel? Zaza and her hesitation, Louis realising her position, his love for both, her decision to go with Louis?
13. Felix, the encounter with the professor, the professor and his science and metaphysics, the serious tone of the dialogue, Felix and the encounter with the professor on the train, his identity and genealogy, the visit to Lisbon, the tennis, the daughter’s attraction, the invitation from the King, Felix and his bravado about his appearance, the past meetings, the king persuaded?
14. Felix, assuming persona, his skill as a conman, his experiences, his future?

FROM HILDE, WITH LOVE/ IN LIEBE, EURE HILDE

Germany, 2023, 124 minutes, Colour.

Liv Lisa Fries, Johannes Hegemann, Lisa Wagner.

Directed by Andreas Dresen.

This is a very different war film from Germany, although it can be linked with films about individuals and groups who resisted Hitler and the Nazi regime, films about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Sophie Scholle. And, it has a different tone, especially with the German authorities, in most films extremely intense, sometimes verging on the caricature. By contrast, here the authorities have their convictions but many of them, and interrogator offering food, and diligent in support of midwife, and, especially, the mellowing of the prison guard, are shown to have some humanity. Which means that the response to the film is different from what is usual.

It is based on a true story, a group of young activists in Berlin, previous difficulties for some of them with the government, socialist and communist sympathies. They are against the fascist attitudes of the Nazi regime and make contact with Moscow, experimenting with radio, getting information about German prisoners, to send letters to loved ones in Berlin reassuring them. This is dangerous, against a number of laws, accusations of treason.

The film focuses on the key central character, Hilde, rather reserved, intelligent and well educated, becoming more and more friendly with the group, and falling in love with their leader, Hans, Johannes Hegemann, charmed by him, a strong and pleasant personality who elicits a loyalty from the variety of people in the group. Hilde is drawn into activities, collecting and delivering the radio, typing the messages, giving advice on radio use, pasting posters at night in the underpasses.

Hilde is played by Liv Lisa Fries (Berlin Babylon, Freud’s Last Session), an intense performance, on screen in every sequence, required to go through a great deal of emotion, from her reserve, from the intensity of her relationship with Hans, coping with her emotional mother, arrested and interrogated, imprisoned, the very difficult birth of her baby, love for her baby, her support of and work for the women in the wards, her trial, her message to her young son, her final signature the title of the film. And, all the protesters were guillotined.

The way this drama works is to have two lines of narrative. The film opens in the present with Hilde’s arrest and continues through her imprisonment to her execution. But, within this narrative are very detailed and frequent flashbacks, building up her personal story, relationships, involvement with the group. So, there is emotionally interesting contrast between what is happening to her and the impact of her remembered past.

The cumulative effect of the film, comparatively low key with other Nazi imprisonment stories, is that the buildup with the birth of her baby and love for her child, having to give it up, preparing, with the help of a sympathetic pastor, for her execution – and the execution with its sudden jolt of the guillotine, is extraordinarily harrowing.

1. A World War II story? Germany? A different story? Resistance to the Nazi regime?
2. Berlin, the war, the visualising of the city, homes, picnics at the river, arrests and interrogation, prison, executions? The musical score?
3. The title, the final letter to her son, the meaning of her life, death – and the epilogue with the voice-over from her son 80 years later, his appreciation of his mother?
4. The screenplay, the two stories developing, intercut? The story in the present, the activities, the arrest and interrogation, prison? The flashbacks to the past, the development of Hilde’s activities, relationship with Hans, with the other members of the group, building up to the arrest? The placement of the flashbacks at emotional points, during the interrogation, in the prison, at the execution?
5. A portrait of Hilde, her background, her mother and the relationship, her mother’s illness and sensitivities? Hilde and her education, wide reading, intelligence? Her appearance, her continually wearing her glasses? Her fiance on the front? Encounters with Hans, the attraction, his work, the friends and their activities and networks, personalities, enthusiasm, against the regime? Socialist leanings, contact with Moscow? Her greater involvement, typing, helping with the pasting up of posters in the underpasses, collecting the radio in delivering it, her knowledge of radio, studying? The intense involvement?
6. The plan for sending messages to Moscow, interviews with the captured soldiers, the messages from the soldiers, writing out the letters, posting them? The final irony that only the first generic message was received?
7. The relationship with Hans, his love for her, sexual, leading up to the proposal, her pregnancy? Her mother’s reactions? Hans and the shop, ice cream, his mother?
8. The presentation of the authorities, much more low-key than so many films, the interrogation, the interrogator offering food, the doctor, the midwife and the birthing of the baby, the guard, Anneliese Kuhn and her mellowing and assistance?
9. In the garden, the strawberries, the arrest, pregnant, her firm denials, the sandwich, her going to prison, the humiliation of the strip search, going upstairs to the cell, the table, the bare boards? Her psychological state? The breaking of the waters, banging on the door, the doctor, too late for caesarean, the midwife, her concern, the graphic depiction of the birth and its difficulties, to take the baby away, Hilde allowed to hold it, the decision that she should keep it, in the ward, her caring for others, Liane Berkowitz, her fears, Hilde and her listening to her, comforting her? The decision for Hilde to help in the wards? Not to go back to her cell?
10. The authorities and allowing the encounter with Hans in the corridor, his holding the baby? The pastor, visiting Hilde, Hans’ execution, the poem that he left her?
11. Coming to trial, with the other women, the continued flashbacks bringing them to life, the interrogations and the information that each had given? The emotional responses? Hilde and her trial, the accusations, sentenced to death?
12. The time with the baby, the closeness of mother and child, the visit of her mother and her tantrums and grief, the arranging of the baby to be entrusted to her?
13. The buildup to the execution, Anneliese Kuhn and the revelation of her name, writing the testimony for Hilde, sympathetic towards the baby, the baby taken? Hilde and the lineup, the discussions with the Pastor, his support? The other women in the line, names called, going in, door shut, the guillotine?
14. Hilde going in, lying down, the sudden guillotine falling?
15. The emotion for the audience throughout the film, identifying with Hilde, her actions, her cause, the Nazi regime? The relationships and emotion, the baby? The cumulative effect is harrowing for the audience?

FREUD'S LAST SESSION

Ireland/UK, 2023, 109 minutes, Colour.

Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode, Liv Lisa Fries, Jodi Balfour, Jeremy Northam, Orla Brady, George Andrew-Clarke, Rhys Mannion, Stephen Campbell Moore, Peter Warnock, Aiden McArdle.

Directed by Matt Brown.

With Anthony Hopkins in his mid-80s and a 55 year career playing Sigmund Freud, who can resist? It seemed he never met Christian apologist and fantasy author, Oxford CS Lewis, but veteran psychologist Arnold M.Nicholi wrote a book, The Question of God, placing the arguments of each in juxtaposition, compare and contrast. In 2012, playwright Mark St Germain wrote a play, drawing on The Question of God book and some information that before his death Freud met an Oxford don (not identified).

So, with the collaboration of the playwright, here is a film version of the play. For those interested in Freud, a great deal on his perspectives on psychoanalysis and, as expected, his views on sexuality. For those interested in Lewis, a great deal on his conversion experience, his sense of the presence of God. Freud was about to die. Lewis was to have an impactful career in broadcast, writing, Christianity, the Chronicles of Narnia…

It is September 3, 1939. Hitler has invaded Poland. Chamberlain will declare war on Germany. The atmosphere in London is tense, parents and children flocking to railway stations to evacuate the children, and air raid siren and shelter, planes flying overhead. In terms of a World War II film, this is an excellent evocation, filmed with muted colour.

Freud is living in Finchley, having fled Vienna the year earlier with his daughter, Anna, herself a reputable psychoanalyst, especially for children, who lectures in London. Freud has cancer of the mouth and is in pain. His also listening to the radio, wanting to hear the news about the war. And he has agreed for CS Lewis to visit him, even though the two have opposing views.

While most of the action takes place in Freud’s office/den, the play has been opened out with great impact, dramatised flashbacks to the early life of each of the men, Freud’s life and work in Vienna, his reputation, his refuge in England. With Lewis, there is his childhood, parents, but especially the experience of the trenches, death of a friend, wounded, the siren and shelter evoking memories of trench terror. Through these flashbacks and the consequent conversations, we learn a great deal about the two men.

While the two meet, there is quite some hostility between them, Freud and his atheism, his free thinking about sexuality and pleasure, while Lewis is rather more buttoned up, eager to defend belief in God. Which means there are many interesting conversations, Freud and his quips and putdowns, Lewis more aggressive at times. In fact, what we see is an incipient psychoanalysis by Freud of Lewis, not just what he says but what he doesn’t say. And, as the two interact, there are psychoanalyst intimations about Freud himself, especially about his relationship with his daughter, Anna, and Lewis’s attack on their codependence.

For those who side with Freud, the film will confirm their beliefs. They will not be persuaded by Lewis. However, those who side with Lewis, will appreciate his sense of the presence of God, a final dream as he nods off on the train back to Oxford, a forest full of bright light, transcendent light. But Lewis does tell Freud that God is often incognito in the world.

Interesting writing, top performances, a film with substance and intelligent challenge.

1. A blend of actual history and imagination? An Oxford Don visiting Freud just before his death? Identifying CS Lewis’s? Based on a book of speculation, adaptation as a successful play, the text of the play and its being opened out with flashbacks?
2. Audience knowledge of and interest in Freud, psychoanalysis, his career, his theories, his work in Vienna, fleeing the Nazis, settling in London, his final illness, cared for by his daughter, the information about his death, September 23, 1939? The impact of Anthony Hopkins playing him, screen presence, dominating, articulate, delivery, humour, seriousness?
3. Audience knowledge of and interest in CS Lewis? Christian apologist, his radio broadcasts, he is books, apologetics, the war and his linking with children, leading to his fantasies and fiction, especially Narnia?
4. The action taking place in London, September 3, 1939? First of September, Hitler invades Poland? Tensions? Chamberlain’s declaration of war? Atmosphere in London, the muted colour for the film, the trains, parents and children, the children being evacuated? The atmosphere in the streets? The air raid siren and taking shelter? Freud listening to the radio, not wanting to hear the music and his reasons for this, wanting to hear what Chamberlain says?
5. The focus on Freud, his age, cancer of the mouth and the prosthetic his need for medication relief, the routines in the house, his wife away, Anna and her care, the past psychoanalysis with her father, the suggestion of codependence, her going to the lecture, the phone call, hurrying out, knocking on the doors, the doctor, the taxi, coming to his aid? His anticipation of CS Lewis’s visit, complaining about punctuality, his quips and putdowns to Lewis, ironic?
6. The flashbacks, Freud and his Catholic nanny, St Jim from the and her statue, age 6, his making the sign of the cross, his father and the Scriptures, his reaction, ousting the nanny, forbidding his son to talk of heaven? The influence on his atheism? His growing up in Vienna, his clientele, reputation around the world?
7. The focus on Lewis, his age, his critique of John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, his interest in visiting Freud, confronting him, the existence of God, psychoanalysis, his background in Oxford, his childhood, his parents, he and his brother boarding school in England at a young age, the consequences, his service in World War I, the flashbacks to life in the trenches, his best friend, entrusting care of his mother to Lewis, going over the top, the friend being killed, the shrapnel near Lewis’s heart and inoperable, time in hospital, Mrs Moore, the relationship, friend, her later being housekeeper? The scene at the pub, The Inklings, the presence of Tolkien, the scene with Tolkien – and Freud praising Tolkien’s fantasies?
8. The venue, the action within the house, the main room, Freud then, desks, chairs, the many statues, duties, many cultures, Freud’s explanations?
9. The discussion, the equivalent of a psychoanalysis session, Freud so, analysing Lewis, what Lewis said and what he didn’t say? And some reverse psychoanalysis of Freud himself?
10. The range of the discussion, some antagonism, scoring off each other, Freud self-confident, Lewis confident but British reserve, buttoned up character, difficult to express his inner life? Discussions of God, atheism, Freud’s perspective, Lewis’s conversion and his explanation, a sense of the presence of God, his comment that God goes incognito in our world?
11. The issue of sex and sexuality, Freud expressing his opinions, freedom, pleasure, the issue of homosexuality in British reserve, careful on the issue of lesbianism, his daughter?
12. The focus on Ana Freud, with her father, the psychoanalysis, Lewis mentioning codependence, Freud harsh reaction? Yet Anna and her devotion, but her skills with children psychoanalysis, going to the lecture, the put down by the authorities, the phone call, out of the lecture, searching for the medicine, returning? The character of Dorothy, in psychoanalysis, in Vienna, coming to England, the relationship, Anna and her hesitance, the decision to go with Dorothy, to be with her in the presence of her father? And his final nod and smile of approval? His final image in the film?
13. The contrast with Lewis, the visit of doctor Jones and his wanting to have a relationship with Ana, his being influential in persuading Freud to go to England? Lewis taking the dog for a walk, Freud’s comment about the dog being companion, indicating psychological states of the clients? Lewis then leaving, returning to Oxford, the train, falling asleep, the scenes in the past with the deer, the recurring scene, the transcendent light in the forest? The final image of Lewis?
14. The impact of the film for atheists, agreeing with Freud, dismissing Lewis’s ideas? The impact of the film for those who agreed with Lewis, his expression of his beliefs? And little impact on Freud?
15. The final information about Freud’s death, assisted by his doctor? And the future career of Lewis?