THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX

Germany, 2008, 144 minutes, Colour.
Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu.
Directed by Uli Edel.

In the aftermath of the upheavals of the 1960s, the student protests, the Vietnam War, the undermining of governments and authority, the 1970s saw a number of revolutionary groups who took to terrorism and thuggery for their alleged social and reformist ideologies. The Italian Red Brigade was one. But, probably, the best known was the Baader Meinhof Gang who called themselves the Red Army Faction.

Producer Bernd Eichenger (who wrote the film about the last days of Hitler, Downfall) has based his screenplay on the 1980s (revised in the 1990s) book by journalist Stephen Aust who followed the activities at the time. The film has been directed by Uli Edel who made such tough films as Christiane F and Last Exit from Brooklyn as well as some far more commercials films in the US like Body of Evidence with Madonna. Here, he and Eichenger are back with their German roots when they were young film-makers in the 1970s, initially impressed by the causes of the RAF but then disgusted by their ruthlessness and the killing of civilians. This is evident from the film.

The Baader Meinhof Complex is certainly not simple. It is a chronicle of the activities from the late 1960s to the deaths by suicide of the main protagonists ten years later. Events follow events. Characters come and go and we are not sure who they are except that they belong to the RAF. Nevertheless, the film holds the attention as it recreates the period and shows us the RAF in action as well as the members with their interactions and tensions.

Initially, the film concentrates on the wife and mother, leftist journalist, Ulrike Meinhof. She is stirred by the protests of the 1960s. Her husband betrays her and she leaves with her children, only to become involved with giving shelter to Andreas Baader. Eventually, she makes an ideological choice and abandons her children for the RAF causes, wanting to be a voice of reason but caught up in the violent activities. Baader is presented as a narcissistic rabble rouser without too much political savvy but a knack for enthusing followers, especially his girlfriend, Gudrun Ensslin (daughter of a religious minister) who becomes one of the leaders.

Martina Gedeck and Moritz Bleibtreu are strong presences as Meinhoff and Baader. Johanna Wokalek is striking as Ensslin.

The bulk of the film shows the hardening of the group's determination, their training with the PLO (and Baader's arrogant superiority, racism and anti-authority stances), their robbing of banks, their increasing terrorist activities as well as the hard line taken by the police (who don't emerge with much credit with their brutality) and the shrewd chief of police (Bruno Ganz).

Eventually, the heads of the gang are arrested and spend years in gaol and in the courts. Young Germans who do not know the leaders personally join the ranks of the RAF and finally hijack a plane to demand the release of the prisoners. Ulrike Meinhof becomes more depressed and hangs herself. Another leader dies in a hunger strike. After the failure of the hijacking Baader and Ensslin kill themselves in prison.

The film offers little sympathy for the gang's actions and their setting themselves up as saviours and martyrs. But it does remind audiences that waves of protest and violent action have continually occurred and history can teach us what happens and why.

1.A 21st century look at the 60s and 70s? The past, the 20th century protest and terrorism? From the perspective of thirty years later?

2.Audience knowledge of the Baader Meinhoff gang? The film giving information? Germany in the 1960s, the government, the twenty years after World War Two? Rebuilding Germany? Capitalism, socialism, divided Germany, communism? The personalities, their reputation, action, ideology? The movement? Their deaths?

3.The documentary style, pace, accumulation of events, characters, a portrayal not analysis? The causes, behaviour, terrorist activity, crime? The victims? The police, the chief, the arrests, prison and trials?

4.The strong cast, well known? Sympathy for the terrorists? Glamorising them or not?

5.The 60s and 70s, the songs from Janis Joplin, the end with Bob Dylan? Hair, clothes, the hippie style? The influence of the 60s?

6.The focus on Ulrike Meinhof? The tone of the opening beach sequence, the nudism, uninhibited, the children, their playing? Her husband? Her work as a journalist, the protest on the visit of the shah and the visualising of this visit, the protests, the brutality of the police, killing the student? Her article, husband reading it aloud to the group, her involvement?

7.Gudrun Ensslin, her father, revealed as a minister, her arguments with him? The relationship with Andreas Baader? His type, swagger, having a cause or not? Being able to sway people? The relationship with Gudrun? The decision to bomb the department store? The arrest, waiting, the escape?

8.Baader and his sympathetic friends, the lawyers, academics? The attitude of the public? The student body? Ulrike Meinhof and her helping and sheltering him?

9.Ulrike Meinhof and her decision, the advice and the issues, the discussions, her motivation, ideas and ideals, the voice of reason? Discovering her husband’s infidelity, taking her children, leaving him? Going to the Mediterranean?

10.The forming of the cells, the getting of the recruits, the protest ideas, life on the run, hiding, going into action, terrorism?

11.Rudi Deutsche and his speech, the attack on him, the assassin and his ideology, clean-cut young man, his fanaticism, injuring Rudi, the police pursuing the killer, his suicide?

12.The young man from prison, meeting Gudrun? In the car ride with Baader, shooting at passersby? Baader in Rome, making his lawyer steal the woman’s purse? Upset about his own car being stolen?

13.The group going to Jordan, the PLO, taking fighting and training seriously? Baader and his arrogance, clashing with the PLO, issues of sexuality? No deserts in Germany …?

14.The return, the robbing of the banks, the coordination of the many banks at the same time? The motivation against the banks, the use of the money?

15.The police, coordinating against the group, trying to understand the mind of the terrorists? The chief, calm, the discussions, the lobster soup? The government and the bringing in of computers? Strategies, ultimate arrests? Bringing some drama to the film with the confrontation between the police chief and the terrorists?

16.The action sequences, the pursuits, the arrests, the shootouts? The effect on the group?

17.Ulrike Meinhof in her house, the arrest? Baader and Gudrun going to prison?

18.The variety of prisons, Baader becoming more serious, getting some ideas? In court, the judge, their insulting him, their becoming more involved, the insolence, the sunglasses, the interruptions?

19.The background of the journalists and the write-ups? The journalist interviewing Gudrun’s parents and their reaction?

20.Ulrike and Gudrun, in prison, their clashes, Ulrike writing, Gudrun criticising, the falling out, the angers? The consequences in court?

21.The ultimate effect on Ulrike, depression, her killing herself? The background of the hunger strike and the member of the gang dying from hunger?

22.The various high-flying victims, the abductions, the union leaders, bankers, the ruthless killings?

23.The new cells, recruitment, ambitions, wanting to free Baader, the plan for the hijacking, Baader not approving, the progress, the taking of the plane, the death of the pilot, the armed forces moving in, the release of the hostages?

24.The decision to commit suicide, Baader, Gudrun and the others killing themselves?

25.An episode in German history, European history? Its meaning? The legacy?