Vegas
03-22-2008, 06:30 PM
Red Baron Film Breaks German War Hero Taboos
In a country where patriotism is looked down upon, a new film about a World War I pilot -- one of most expensive movies ever made in Germany -- takes a new twist: It paints the Red Baron as a national hero.
According to historical accounts, Manfred von Richthofen -- dubbed the Red Baron due to the color of his aircraft -- shot down 80 Allied planes as a fighter pilot during World War I and became not only the most successful German pilot but also an icon of his era.
Ninety-years after his death, an 18-million-euro ($28-million) film which opens in Germany on April 10, recounts the war adventures of the Prussian nobleman whose life ended at the age of 25. The English-language German production is based on a biography of von Richthofen by historian Joachim Castan, which came out last fall.
Heroism despite senselessness of war
But talk of war is kept to a minimum in Germany, and patriotic statements are deliberately avoided. It's all the more unusual, then, that both the book and the film present Richthofen as a hero, while not glorifying war.
"Historically there has been reluctance and there are strong voices in Germany still saying we're not allowed to do this: a film about a German war hero," said the film's writer and director Nikolai Muellerschoen, as reported by The Guardian Online. "But the film makes a very clear statement against war."
The book, entitled "The Red Baron: The Entire Story About Manfred von Richthofen," begins with a frequently recounted scene that has been historically confirmed: Richthofen opens fire on an enemy plane. When he sees that the pilot's gun is jammed, he forces him to land and greets with pilot with a hand shake.
Towards the end of the war, worn down by the reality of violence, he is also said to have killed in cold blood, shooting at marching soldiers on the ground.
Cause of death remains unknown
The film presents a sensitive, human hero who is made aware of the brutality of war through his love for his nurse Kaete (British actress Lena Headey). Despite the exciting air escapades in his Fokker Dr 1, Richthofen discovers that war is not a game.
German actor Matthias Schweighoefer stars in the title role, with Til Schweiger and Joseph Fiennes in supporting roles.
The Red Baron lost his life in the line of duty on April 21, 1918 -- just weeks before the end of the war. The exact circumstances of his death remain unknown.
Both the film and the book are part of a rising interest in Germany in war history and follows on the heels of similar war films like "The Downfall," an account of the last days in Adolf Hitler's Berlin bunker, and Tom Cruise's upcoming movie on Claus von Stauffenberg, who led a plot to assassinate the Fuehrer.
In a country where patriotism is looked down upon, a new film about a World War I pilot -- one of most expensive movies ever made in Germany -- takes a new twist: It paints the Red Baron as a national hero.
According to historical accounts, Manfred von Richthofen -- dubbed the Red Baron due to the color of his aircraft -- shot down 80 Allied planes as a fighter pilot during World War I and became not only the most successful German pilot but also an icon of his era.
Ninety-years after his death, an 18-million-euro ($28-million) film which opens in Germany on April 10, recounts the war adventures of the Prussian nobleman whose life ended at the age of 25. The English-language German production is based on a biography of von Richthofen by historian Joachim Castan, which came out last fall.
Heroism despite senselessness of war
But talk of war is kept to a minimum in Germany, and patriotic statements are deliberately avoided. It's all the more unusual, then, that both the book and the film present Richthofen as a hero, while not glorifying war.
"Historically there has been reluctance and there are strong voices in Germany still saying we're not allowed to do this: a film about a German war hero," said the film's writer and director Nikolai Muellerschoen, as reported by The Guardian Online. "But the film makes a very clear statement against war."
The book, entitled "The Red Baron: The Entire Story About Manfred von Richthofen," begins with a frequently recounted scene that has been historically confirmed: Richthofen opens fire on an enemy plane. When he sees that the pilot's gun is jammed, he forces him to land and greets with pilot with a hand shake.
Towards the end of the war, worn down by the reality of violence, he is also said to have killed in cold blood, shooting at marching soldiers on the ground.
Cause of death remains unknown
The film presents a sensitive, human hero who is made aware of the brutality of war through his love for his nurse Kaete (British actress Lena Headey). Despite the exciting air escapades in his Fokker Dr 1, Richthofen discovers that war is not a game.
German actor Matthias Schweighoefer stars in the title role, with Til Schweiger and Joseph Fiennes in supporting roles.
The Red Baron lost his life in the line of duty on April 21, 1918 -- just weeks before the end of the war. The exact circumstances of his death remain unknown.
Both the film and the book are part of a rising interest in Germany in war history and follows on the heels of similar war films like "The Downfall," an account of the last days in Adolf Hitler's Berlin bunker, and Tom Cruise's upcoming movie on Claus von Stauffenberg, who led a plot to assassinate the Fuehrer.