Theodor Fontane’s seminal, tragic 1894 novel Effi Briest received numerous screen adaptations up through the early 21st century, including (most prominently) a 1974 feature from Rainer Werner Fassbinder that emerged as one of the hallmarks of the New German Cinema. The 2009 version emerged at the hands of director Hermine Huntgeburth, and stars Julia Jentsch as Effi von Briest, a Prussian adolescent swept up in the throes of high society during the late 19th century. At the outset of the tale, Effi’s mother, Luise (Juliane Koehler) sets her up with a romantic suitor decades older than she, Baron von Instetten (Sebastian Koch), with whom Luise herself has a history of romantic involvement. In truth, Effi passionately loves her cousin Dagobert (Mirko Lang), and has promised to dance with him, but she bows to social conventions by dancing instead with the Baron, and before long the nobleman gamely asks for her hand in marriage, which she obliges – again, solely out of respect for societal norms. They move to a port village together and Effi falls into a miserably unhappy lifestyle – until she experiences physical satisfaction via an affair with a handsome militaryman, Major Crampass (Misel Maticevic). Alas, their limited relationship ultimately leaves Effi with even greater feelings of emptiness.
The unhappiest young woman in Teuton literature is resuscitated again onscreen in “Effi Briest,” though helmer Hermine Huntgeburth provides the adulterous Prussian teen with a less infelicitous destiny and more explicit sex than in the novel. Despite attempts to modernize the character, Effi — played by a terrific Julia Jentsch — here seems to want to escape from an unhappy marriage as much as from the confines of an overly simplified costume drama. Production and costume design are sumptuous without going overboard. – Variety
A Constantin Film Verleih release of a Constantin Film presentation and production. Produced by Guenter Rohrbach. Executive producer, Martin Moszkowicz. Directed by Hermine Huntgeburth. Screenplay, Volker Einrauch, based on the novel by Theodor Fontane.
In German. English subtitles?
Starring Julia Jentsch, Sebastian Koch, Misel Maticevic, Juliane Koehler, Thomas Thieme, Ruediger Vogler, Barbara Auer, Margarita Broich, Mirko Lang, Sunnyi Melles.