Moviecut—Escape from East Berlin

source: Escape from East Berlin

Escape from East Berlin

I remember seeing this film in the theatre when I was a child and always remembered it. I wish it was available on video/DVD. The black and white film highlights the starkness of life behind the wall. Although this is an old film, I think it has an important message for us to appreciate and safeguard our freedoms.

`prisoners' of communist East Germany, lead by chauffer Kurt Schroder (Don Murray), plan an escape under the Berlin wall. Pretty good escape thriller, with good performances from Murray and Christine Kaufmann, let down really by a predictable and disappointing ending. ** out of ****

This film needed a few things to make it a very good film. First, a decent writer. Second, a decent director. Third, some decent acting. Other than that, it was pretty good. The acting was so bad that I had a hard time rooting for them. I highly recommend passing on this silly movie and get yourself a decent book to read instead.

After Berlin built the wall that divided Germany into East and West. A desperate young woman tries to cross and is stopped in time by a young man who prevents her from being shot by the guards, hiding her in his house, which is located right against the wall. The family devises a daring escape plan by digging a tunnel under the wall. The risk is deadly since if they are discovered they will be shot. Some neighbors aware of the plan join in working on the construction of the tunnel or carry out distractions for the soldiers who guard it. This is a great little movie. It is clear that its budget is modest but the director manages to load it with great suspense at times distressing. The cast is perfect in their roles, the music accompanies very well and the rhythm is dynamic. A film that has perfectly withstood the passage of time and continues to be one of the best in reflecting those sadly famous moments in history.

I watched the Berlin Wall come down in 1989. This film brings back some haunting memories. The despair of people realizing that they are trapped in the cage called East Berlin. And what we know about the Stasi--the East German secret police--makes me cringe realizing how everybody was spied upon. Yes, the movie has a happy ending. But, while 28 people found freedom through the tunnel, think of those who lived out their days behind the wall.

The very American Korean War draft-dodger/actor Don Murray is supposed to be East German? Fans of 'Hogan's Heroes' may get a kick out seeing "Col. Klink" in this drama as a good guy here. A lot of extras but not a literally big production is film. PS Speaking of the Korean War, Kim ll Sung (of communist North Korea--affiliated with East Germany) completely started that war. Knowing that and that Murray so wrongly dodged the KW draft in the 1950's may make watching this flick hard for many.

Criticism of the film included that not enough was shown depicting the life under Communism and how the wall added to that. Nevertheless, the film is a good one. For a change, Werner Klemperer plays a good person renting a room near where the wall is so that he can escape. Don Murray does just fine with his German accent as a chauffeur meeting up with Christine Kaufmann after her brother is shot to death in an attempt to escape. We see all the difficulties faced by those conspiring to flee- cutting telephone lines, little oxygen along the path, always the threat of a betrayal. We can appreciate freedom more after viewing this film.