DIE KONSEQUENZ (THE CONSEQUENCE)

Germany, 1977, 100 minutes, Black and white.
Jurgen Prochnow, Ernst Hannawald.
Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.

The Consequence is a German prison film and shows the ugly side of prisons and reform institutions for adolescents. The film offers a critique of these institutions and the attitudes of German society. The film also treats issues of homosexuality in a very frank manner - but with a touch of sentimentality.

The film was directed and co-written by Wolfgang Petersen, the German director who has made such films as Black and White Like Day and Night with Bruno Ganz, the story of an obsessive chess player who suffers mental breakdown. The film is interesting in its dealing with human relationships as well an its portrait of society and its pressures.

Petersen directed the Oscar-winning Das Boot and then went to Hollywood for a long career in action and spectaculars (In the Line of Fire, Outbreak, Perfect Storm, Troy, Poseidon).

1. The significance of the title, the starting with the flashbacks and the indications of what the consequence was? A portrait of people, society. attitudes and behaviour? Moral judgment on society?

2. German production, the impact of German society and issues? Universal response? The world of prisons and the Gorman experience and universal experience? The focus on relationships, love, homosexuality in itself, relationships, sexual experience, crime? The film's stance on homosexuality?

3. The focus on Martin as a character, his offence and the treatment in prison because of his offence, ridicule, criticism, victimization? His background as an actor? His sentence being prolonged? His involvement in the play, his work with the other prisoners? The themes of prison life, rights, work, treatment?

4. The homosexuality theme in prison, the homosexual prisoners and their behaviour? Thomas and his participating in the play? Martin's needs, Thomas’s advances, the night together? The tenderness of their relationship, its permanence, hopes for both?

5. The presentation of the prison officials and their attitudes? The old prisoner who betrayed Martin to the officials? Thomas’s parents and their reactions to Thomas’s behaviour, association with criminals, with homosexuals?

6. How well portrayed was Thomas - the crucial portrayal for the emotional involvement of the audience, for judgments about issues? As a boy, life in the prison, relationship to his parents and his comment on their dull way of life? Participation in the play and the sequences of the play and his performance, his watching? Fascination with Martin? Discussion about homosexuality? His being in the prison cell, making the advances and the decisions, spending the night? The repercussions of the convict betraying him? His attitude towards his parents and the final confrontation with them about homosexuality, their reaction and his response to this? His decision about his life, wanting to live with Martin? The possibility of happiness? Question of age, maturity, emotional maturity, ability to cope?

7. The sudden taking him away to the institute, the court case and his parents’ attitudes and comments? His parents and their treatment of him? Life In the institute, the supervisor and his bullying Thomas? C Group and the isolation? The presentation in detail of the way of life in the institute? The character portrayal of the boys? Brutality,
Violence, attitude towards each other? Sexuality - and Babette and the grossness of the encounters with her, the boys lining up, their taking Martin down for a joke? Hid need to escape, the need to make a phone call, the violent repercussions of this?

8. Martin and his involvement for Thomas? Concern, letters, forging of the papers and the way that he had to pay for them, in interview, clash of ideologies about psychological treatment of the boys? His work in the institute, care for Thomas, his being dismissed and the arranging of the escape?

9. The transition to the world of the politician,, his wealth, power, corruption. pornographic films, his chauffeur, his helping but the binding of him to his service? escape?

10. Martin's development as an actor and his loneliness without Thomas? His skill as an actor, growing career? Communication with Thomas, going to meet him, forgiveness, continuing to help, the puzzle at the end with the attempted suicide? How rounded was the portrait of Martin? A sympathetic character?

11. Thomas and his decline, with the politician, education, his letter of explanation and hid work ad a prostitute, his decision to go back to the institute, his being subdued, scared? The encounter with Martin on his release, his sullenness, his breaking? The attempted suicide and his disappearance – the consequences of the title?

12. Where did the film say blame lay? In Thomas, Martin, society,

13. The picture of prisons? Prisons as reflecting the attitudes of society?

14. The themes of the law, morals and the law, personal freedom, conscious responsibility, pressures? Society's standards and hypocrisies?

15. Themes of sexuality - ad illustrated in the life of the prisoners, the attitude of Thomas’s parents and the discussions in the court? Homosexuality ad a contemporary issue, morality, the law?

16. Insight into human beings and understanding of human beings in their strengths and weaknesses and being victims of circumstances?