Die Rebellin (2009)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Die Rebellin is a German historical drama in three parts which premiered on German television (ZDF) in 2009.

 

The topic is the development and production of television in West Germany the late 1940s and the 1950s.

 

Here is some basic information about this drama:

 

** English title: The Female Rebel

** Directed by Ute Wieland

** Produced by Susanne Freyer

** Screenplay written by Christian Jeltsch and Monika Peetz

** Musical score composed by Oliver “Oli” Biehler

** Language: German – no English subtitles!

** Released on DVD in 2012

** Number of discs: 2

** Number of episodes: 3

** Run time: 89 + 89 + 94 minutes = 271 minutes

** Bonus feature: “Exclusive Insights” = 15 minutes

** Total run time: 287 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

The first group

** Alexandra Neldel as Lena Berkow – a young woman

** Anna Fischer as Elisabeth “Betty” Berkow – Lena’s sister

** Saskia Vester as Hilde Berkow – Lena’s mother

** Dominique Horwitz as Gustav Berkow – Lena’s father

** Friedrich von Thun as Wilhelm Sattler – a businessman

** Rosel Zech as Alma Sattler – Wilhelm’s wife

** David Rott as Hans Sattler – younger son of Wilhelm and Alma

** Alexander Beyer as Peter Sattler – older son of Wilhelm and Alma

 

The second group

** Nikola Kastner as Valerie von Gluck – a young woman

** Vadim Glowna as Dr Severin Bronsky – a lawyer

** Sebastian Bezzel as Walter Juskowiak – a young man

** Simone Zglinicki as Herta Juskowiak – Walter’s mother

** Horst Kummeth as Josef Steiner – the owner of a farm

** Ulrike Folkerts as Olga Schmitt – an engineer

** Michael Mendl as Ferdinand Möbius – later known as Fred Roberts – an engineer

** Christian Näthe as Heinz-Hugo Heintze – Betty’s manager

 

As stated above, this is a historical drama; it is a fictional story placed in a historical context.

 

In this case, the context is West Germany during the first years after World War II.

 

The story is set in Bavaria. Some scenes are set in the town of Fürth, while other scenes are set on a farm in the Bavarian countryside.

 

As stated above, there are three episodes:

 

** Part 1 covers the time 1949-1952

** Part 2 covers the time 1952-1953

** Part 3 covers the time 1955-1957

 

Occasionally, there is a flashback to earlier days: one flashback is from 1939, just before the outbreak of World War II; another flashback is from 1945, when World War II is ending. The flashbacks are shot in black-and-white in order to distinguish them from the main story.

 

Occasionally, there is a clip from a news reel which was shown in movie theatres and on television. Obviously, these clips are also shot in black-and-white.

 

The news reels are used to remind us what was going on in the world at the time.

 

I do not wish to spoil the viewing for anyone. I am not going to say much about what happens in this drama. I will merely tell you how the story begins:

 

The main character Lena Berkow, who was born in 1929, is the daughter of an engineer. Her father dies in 1945, as the war is ending. Lena wants to follow in his footsteps: she wants to develop television in West Germany.

 

Television had already been invented before World War II, but because of the war the technology had not been fully developed.

 

Lena believes television will become the most important means of communication in the 20th century and she wants to be a part of this development.

 

She is a young woman who wants to enter a world that is dominated by men: the world of engineering and technological inventions.

 

This is a great challenge.

 

Die Rebellin is also the story of a women who finds herself between two men who want to marry her: the first man is Walter, the second man is Hans.

 

Lena has a sister Betty. While Lena wants to work as an engineer, Betty has different hopes and dreams: she wants to be a professional singer.

 

This is how the story begins and this is where my presentation ends. If you want to know what happens to Lena and the people around her, you will have to watch the drama all the way to the end.

 

What do reviewers say about it?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 66 percent.

 

On Amazon Germany there are at the moment 31 ratings of this product; 15 with reviews.

 

The average rating is 4.5 stars which corresponds to a rating of 90 percent.

 

If you ask me, the rating on IMDb is too low, while the rating on Amazon is more appropriate.

 

Why?

 

I have four reasons

 

# 1. The script is well-written

# 2. The actors play their roles well

# 3. The story is captivating, dramatic and often highly emotional

# 4. While the story is fictional, it is placed in a historical context which seems to be realistic

 

This historical drama has an unusual angle: a woman who wants to work in the field of engineering. If you like this kind of movie, then this drama about Lena and the people around her is definitely something for you.

 

It is highly recommended.

 

PS # 1. Let me add a few words about the title The Female Rebel. What does it mean? Why was it chosen? I think there are two reasons:

(1) The first reason is that Lena is regarded as a rebel, because she wants to enter a world that is dominated by men.

(2) The second reason is that it is a hidden reference to the famous movie from 1953 (starring James Dean):

 

Rebel Without a Cause

 

PS # 2. During the war, Lena’s father worked at Hakeburg, a secret research centre located south of Berlin, which is mentioned several times in the drama.

 

For more information about this place, see the following item:

 

Hitech für Hitler: 

Die Hakeburg – 

vom Forschungscentrum zur Kaderschmiede

by Hubert Faensen

(2001)

 

PS # 3. The following items are available online:

 

Björn Wirth, “Und mehr als eine Geschichte: der Dreiteiler Die Rebellin im ZDF: Richtig gutes Fernsehen,” Berliner Zeitung, 5 January 2009

 

Christian Buss, “ZDF Dreiteiler: Reich ins Heim,” Der Spiegel, 5 January 2009

 

Peter Zander, “Alexandra Neldel kämpft mit der Technik,” Die Welt, 5 January 2009

 

PS # 4. The German song Flieger, grüss mir die Sonne, which is used several times in the movie, was recorded by the famous actor and singer Hans Albers in 1932.

 

PS # 5. On disc 1 we have parts one and two. On disc 2 we have part three and the bonus feature “Exclusive Insights,” where you can watch interviews with some of the actors and with some of the people behind the camera.

 

PS # 6. The DVD version includes a 12-page booklet which offers information about the drama and a brief account about the history of black-and-white television in West Germany until 1960.

 

PS # 7. The discs are marked as region 2 (Europe). Both discs run without any problems on my European laptop when I use a program called VLC Media Player.

 

*****