"You can only perceive real beauty in a person as they get older." (Anouk Aimee)
Running sole 60 minutes, LANGUSTEN, written by Fred Denger and directed by Wilhelm Semmelroth (a popular TV director in Germany), seemingly, does not appear to be something one could struggle to see and wait for impatiently. Neither the action nor the movie qualities play a role here. To say the least, how can a stage play with just one aging protagonist and her 'monologue' filled with 'loud thoughts' expressed to herself by herself make for an entertaining viewing? How can a storyline of one day filled with past memories and future illusions capture one's attention memorably. And yet...
Marie Bornemann, a cleaner at an important mansion and shop of one general Meyersdorf celebrates her 60th birthday at the flat where she lives. Her companion of everyday routine occurs to be a little canary Hansi, with whom she shares all her joys and sorrows, whom she talks to passionately: "Hansi, what do you think? Hansi, what about having something to eat? Hansi..." pronounced affectionately. The only answer she can get is cute chirping that expresses the little creature's joy of being noticed. Since there have been many hopes in her lifetime, many dreams unfulfilled...waiting has occupied her life...and waiting is something she has learned perfectly. In all this, she has been waiting for many things in her life; however, the illusionary waiting for a 'miracle' seems inadequate to her at this moment. On this special day, she is going to make this 'waiting' truly effective. How? By inviting important guests and celebrating this occasion in an exceptional manner – with a true delicacy she has dreamed of for a long time encountering it at the shop she cleaned – a title crayfish (Languste) she prepares so nicely and puts on a table with other tasty stuff, including a delicious cake. No exceptional person, in her viewpoint, has always dreamed of an exceptional meal and at last she can afford it now! She will at last know its sophisticated taste... However, will anyone notice her efforts and hopes? Or merely photos will remain? Her employer...her colleague....or Emil whom she seems to have loved throughout her life?
These 60 minutes are occupied with her waiting and her thoughts are executed in an incredible manner thanks to TILLA DURIEUX who portrays the protagonist. The 80-year old actress at the time who does it with exceptional vitality! The time she is given on the screen is solely hers and the entire communication with us, the viewers, becomes vibrant and unique. The intensity and emotions she invests into the entire performance are incredible. Tilla Durieux, foremost a stage actress renowned for her contributions to theaters at Berlin, Hamburg, Prague as well as at Josefstadt in Vienna, with the repertoire of such classical authors as Friedrich Schiller, Friedrich Hebbels and even Shakespeare, can be well regarded as a top notch cast in this role (the other one was only Annie Rosar in the same year, 1960). In LANGUSTEN within the entire stagy set and camera, she portrays her character with true charisma making one feel as if she talked about herself. The impressions are roused by looking at her gestures, her extremely expressive manner of speech. Speech...yes... but the speech about what?
Many events in her lifetime, many of her present sorrows and dilemmas, many aspects of her loneliness, something elderly audience (but not only) will surely identify with. An exceptionally expressive and emotional part appears to be an argument with God. With a little bit of humor and a little bit of disappointment, she asks the Lord on the cross such a rhetorical question: "Am I guilty?" Another question, "What's wrong with us, people?" changes the backbone of the whole content. She occurs more an a self-critical personality who does not place herself at the core of attention, who is a modest cleaner, who does not require much....just those few joys, those few rays of sunlight given by other people. But the very last words belong to God and are addressed to Him. The most influential and affecting part is the moment she sits at the prepared table when none of the guests have arrived, a cleaner at the crayfish (to be photographed as she humorously notes), and acts out an emotional raging scene with one Ella...The knocking at the door seemingly provides a relief for a long waiting.
It might occur depressing to follow the thought of such a lonely protagonist whom no one comes to see, whom no one seems to be keen on. Nevertheless, thanks to the great achievement of Tilla Durieux and of the screenplay by Fred Denger, there is an ever present hope that shines like a little candle in darkness. What wonderful skills it requires from the actress to execute the script with no co-stars, just herself within her world of fantasy, of memories, of hopes. What diverse feelings she embodies here and how craftily she supplies everything with a bit of humor.
As we are closer to the finale, her waiting and our attention are compensated. In what way? I won't tell you. You must see this film yourself....one thing I can say: it teaches us all a great deal of affection, a great deal of empathy and understanding as an unforgettable depiction of loneliness. But that is where you find an affectionate presence of an old person. 9/10
Running sole 60 minutes, LANGUSTEN, written by Fred Denger and directed by Wilhelm Semmelroth (a popular TV director in Germany), seemingly, does not appear to be something one could struggle to see and wait for impatiently. Neither the action nor the movie qualities play a role here. To say the least, how can a stage play with just one aging protagonist and her 'monologue' filled with 'loud thoughts' expressed to herself by herself make for an entertaining viewing? How can a storyline of one day filled with past memories and future illusions capture one's attention memorably. And yet...
Marie Bornemann, a cleaner at an important mansion and shop of one general Meyersdorf celebrates her 60th birthday at the flat where she lives. Her companion of everyday routine occurs to be a little canary Hansi, with whom she shares all her joys and sorrows, whom she talks to passionately: "Hansi, what do you think? Hansi, what about having something to eat? Hansi..." pronounced affectionately. The only answer she can get is cute chirping that expresses the little creature's joy of being noticed. Since there have been many hopes in her lifetime, many dreams unfulfilled...waiting has occupied her life...and waiting is something she has learned perfectly. In all this, she has been waiting for many things in her life; however, the illusionary waiting for a 'miracle' seems inadequate to her at this moment. On this special day, she is going to make this 'waiting' truly effective. How? By inviting important guests and celebrating this occasion in an exceptional manner – with a true delicacy she has dreamed of for a long time encountering it at the shop she cleaned – a title crayfish (Languste) she prepares so nicely and puts on a table with other tasty stuff, including a delicious cake. No exceptional person, in her viewpoint, has always dreamed of an exceptional meal and at last she can afford it now! She will at last know its sophisticated taste... However, will anyone notice her efforts and hopes? Or merely photos will remain? Her employer...her colleague....or Emil whom she seems to have loved throughout her life?
These 60 minutes are occupied with her waiting and her thoughts are executed in an incredible manner thanks to TILLA DURIEUX who portrays the protagonist. The 80-year old actress at the time who does it with exceptional vitality! The time she is given on the screen is solely hers and the entire communication with us, the viewers, becomes vibrant and unique. The intensity and emotions she invests into the entire performance are incredible. Tilla Durieux, foremost a stage actress renowned for her contributions to theaters at Berlin, Hamburg, Prague as well as at Josefstadt in Vienna, with the repertoire of such classical authors as Friedrich Schiller, Friedrich Hebbels and even Shakespeare, can be well regarded as a top notch cast in this role (the other one was only Annie Rosar in the same year, 1960). In LANGUSTEN within the entire stagy set and camera, she portrays her character with true charisma making one feel as if she talked about herself. The impressions are roused by looking at her gestures, her extremely expressive manner of speech. Speech...yes... but the speech about what?
Many events in her lifetime, many of her present sorrows and dilemmas, many aspects of her loneliness, something elderly audience (but not only) will surely identify with. An exceptionally expressive and emotional part appears to be an argument with God. With a little bit of humor and a little bit of disappointment, she asks the Lord on the cross such a rhetorical question: "Am I guilty?" Another question, "What's wrong with us, people?" changes the backbone of the whole content. She occurs more an a self-critical personality who does not place herself at the core of attention, who is a modest cleaner, who does not require much....just those few joys, those few rays of sunlight given by other people. But the very last words belong to God and are addressed to Him. The most influential and affecting part is the moment she sits at the prepared table when none of the guests have arrived, a cleaner at the crayfish (to be photographed as she humorously notes), and acts out an emotional raging scene with one Ella...The knocking at the door seemingly provides a relief for a long waiting.
It might occur depressing to follow the thought of such a lonely protagonist whom no one comes to see, whom no one seems to be keen on. Nevertheless, thanks to the great achievement of Tilla Durieux and of the screenplay by Fred Denger, there is an ever present hope that shines like a little candle in darkness. What wonderful skills it requires from the actress to execute the script with no co-stars, just herself within her world of fantasy, of memories, of hopes. What diverse feelings she embodies here and how craftily she supplies everything with a bit of humor.
As we are closer to the finale, her waiting and our attention are compensated. In what way? I won't tell you. You must see this film yourself....one thing I can say: it teaches us all a great deal of affection, a great deal of empathy and understanding as an unforgettable depiction of loneliness. But that is where you find an affectionate presence of an old person. 9/10
