JERICHOW
Germany, 2008, 93 minutes, Colour.
Beno Furmann, Nina Hoss, Hilmi Soszer.
Directed by Christian Petzold.
Jerichow is a town in north-eastern Germany, part of the former communist East Germany, which has not developed in the decades since reunification. Industry is scarce, people try very hard to make a living – although many migrants from Turkey and Asia have made a living there.
The film is basically a three-hander. Beno Furmann portrays a young German who has spent time in Afghanistan, been dishonourably discharged, is trying to make something of his life. Hilmi Soszer is a Turkish migrant who owns forty-five snack bars and runs a thriving business, with some severity. Nina Hoss portrays his wife whom he has bought, taken on her extensive debt, binds himself to her.
The audience will expect some kind of romantic liaison between the young man and the young woman – and they are not wrong. However, in the friendships and love there are some unexpected angles which makes the film continually interesting, makes it something of a contemporary Greek tragedy.
The film is directed by Christian Petzold who directed Ghosts as well as Yella (for which Nina Hoss won the best actress award in Berlin 2007). While the material is familiar, it is well acted, well told – and retains the interested.
1.The title, the town in East Germany, their traditions, lack of opportunity, the communist regime, united Germany? Turkish migrants in Germany?
2.The sense of place, the roads, cars, bus stops, the airport, homes, snack bars, factories? Real, authentic? The musical score?
3.The prologue: Thomas, the death of his mother, Leon and the car, the thug, Thomas’s background in Afghanistan, the dishonourable discharge, Leon questioning him, the money, Thomas’s lies, Leon’s sympathy, the Euros in the tree house, his being hit and lying all night?
4.The trains continually going past, the car and its lights, the introduction to Ali and Laura?
5.Thomas, his age, going to the employment bureau, the discussions, the cucumber-picking, the huge machine and the people working, his doing the shopping, Ali and the car wreck, his helping, lying about the driving for Ali, driving Ali home, Laura giving the money?
6.Ali coming with his offer, Ali’s marriage and his background, Turkey, the bar, Laura’s debts and his marrying her and taking them on? A Turkish man, his range of clients, the Asian clients? His toughness, Laura doing the accounts? The stacking, the deliveries? Thomas and his driving, Ali and the quiz about saving petrol? The job, the bonds between the two men? Ali and the drinks fraud, the Asian man and his pocketing the money? Thomas and the reward, the day at the beach, Ali and his drinking, the singing and the dancing, the Zorba-like atmosphere, Ali on the cliff, falling, Thomas saving him?
7.Thomas in himself, a new start, responsibilities, hard work, his following Laura, the kissing on the beach, the later meetings, the drinks fraud and Laura’s deceit, Ali bashing her?
8.Thomas and Laura, the floor, Ali calling? The continuation, in the garden, the suspicion of an animal in the garden, Ali going away, at Thomas’s house, Laura telling her story, prison, the debt? Ali’s return? The plan to kill him?
9.Ali and Turkey, his story, wanting to return? Going to Leipzig, three months to live? The scene of his heart turn with Thomas? His plan, giving the ownership to Laura, the sequences on the beach, happiness?
10.Laura and her sorrow in hearing the news, wanting to change the plan? Ali finding the cigarette lighter? The truth?
11.His death, Laura and Thomas and their dismay, their change of heart?
12.The tragedy, the tragic flaws, the limitations of the characters, their situations? Ali’s name being called in the last scene of the film?
