LOVE IN THOUGHTS

Germany, 2003, 90 minutes, Colour,
Daniel Bruhl, August Diehl, Anna Maria Muhe.
Directed by Achim von Borries.

Love in Thoughts is a story, based on fact, of young people in between-wars Germany, 1927. The focus is on a weekend where two friends discuss suicide and the weekend ends in a murder and a suicide.

The film was based on the story of Paul Krantz (played by Daniel Bruhl, the star of Goodbye Lenin). A poet, he wrote up the story of this seeming suicide pact (from which he withdrew because it was suicide merely in thought) and then went into exile. The film focuses on the friendship, the infatuation of the young man for his friend's sister, his relationship with her best friend.

The film recreates the period with costumes, décor, locations, music. The film is intense, shows the decadent side of German society, affluent society, between the wars - with the implication that his group of people would eventually vote for Hitler.

1. Germany between the wars, 1927, German society, affluence, morals, morale? The world of the young, schools? The search for identity? Violence, suicide, sexuality?

2. The title and the focus on love and emotions in abstraction and thought? The contrast with reality? Experience versus thought?

3. The memoir of Paul Krantz, his own experience, his being accused and going to the courts, his being acquitted? His writing, going into exile?

4. The recreation of the period, the weekend, its glow as well as its bleakness, light and dark? Costumes, décor? The mansion, the party? Musical score and songs? The jazz era?

5. The opening, Paul in custody, his being accused, the interrogation, the notes, the suicide club? His own declaration?

6. The weekend, the three days, beginning in school, Paul and his friendship, the exhilaration of the visit to the mansion, sharing the enthusiasm? His friend and his sister? Her sexuality? The transition to the city on Saturday, the restaurant, Hans? Paul meeting the girl at the station? The sister and her friendship with Elli? The Saturday night and the party, behaviour, the night and the rain and the storm? Friendship, the friend and his jealousy of Hans? The philosophy of suicide, his murdering Hans, killing himself? The reality of Monday morning? The weekend and the characters as a microcosm of Germany?

7. The focus on suicide, the morbid reflections, happiness in thought and the need for death at that moment? The reality versus the thought? The time to die? Paul and his poetry, his friendship, love - theory about suicide, reality?

8. The character of Paul, student, poet, friend, lacking money, the journey to the house, his experience of the house, his friend's sister, swimming? Idle, thought? Going to the station, meeting the sister, meeting Elli, his participation in the party, Elli and the seduction, the rain and the storm, the tree? The conflict with his friend over Hans, the suddenness of the killing and the suicide?

9. Paul, the police, his evidence, his speech in the court, his accepting responsibility but not blame, his going free?

10. The portrait of his friend, love and suicide in his head, highly emotional, the jealousy of Hans, his infatuation with Hans, his sister? Protective, wanting to know where she was? Going to the city, the conflict with Hans? The party, his control? The final jealousy, his speeches, murder and suicide?

11. The sister, manipulative, her love for Hans, the class difference? Her brother and his over-protectiveness? The attraction towards Paul, the night swimming? In the city, return, at the party? Aloof from Paul? The aftermath, her friendship with Elli?

12. Elli, the neighbour, her always going unnoticed, Paul having met her but not noticed her, her comment about his not having money? Seduction, the night? The aftermath?

13. The group of friends at the party, their drinking, games, music, taunts, sexual relationships?

14. The 1920s, moving into the 30s, German youth, their growing up, their being doomed to Nazism? Yet their attitudes of romanticism towards life?