Grzimek is a two-part historical drama based on a true story: the life and career of the famous German zoologist Bernard Grzimek (1909-1987).
This drama premiered on German television (ARD) in 2015. Here is some basic information about it:
** Director: Roland Suso Richter
** Writer: Marco Rossi
** Language: German – no English subtitles!
** Released on DVD in 2015
** Run time: 2 x 89 minutes = 178 minutes
The cast includes the following:
** Ulrich Tukur as Bernhard Grzimek
(1909-1987)
** Barbara Auer as Hildegard “Hilde” Grzimek
(1911-1984)
** Jan Lennart Krauter as Michael Grzimek
(1934-1959)
** Jerry Hoffman as Thomas Grzimek
(1950-1980)
** Katharina Schüttler as Erika Grzimek
(1932-2020)
This historical drama covers the life and career of the famous German zoologist Bernhard Grzimek from 1945, when he was still a young man, until the 1980s, when he was an old man.
It covers his professional career as well as his personal life. We see him in triumph and in tragedy.
Bernard married Hildegard in 1930. They had two sons: Rochus (born in 1931) and Michael (born in 1934).
Later, the couple adopted a third son Thomas, who was born in 1950.
The first son Rochus is not seen in the movie. The second son Michael died in an accident in 1959. The third son Thomas committed suicide in 1980.
Michael married Erika in 1955. They had two sons. When Michael died in 1959, Erika became a widow.
Bernhard and Hildegard divorced in 1973. Five years later, in 1978, Bernhard married the widow Erika and adopted her two sons (who were his grandsons).
Bernhard died in 1987.
Erika died in 2020.
Bernhard loved animals. He wrote several books and articles about zoology. He hosted a popular program on West German television about wild animals.
For many years, he was the director of the zoo in Frankfurt am Main.
He played an important role in the establishment of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.
His 1959 documentary film Serengeti Shall Not Die won an Oscar in 1960. It was the first German film that won an Oscar after World War II. This moment was a great triumph for Bernhard.
The second son Michael took a keen interest in his father’s work.
When Bernhard travelled to Africa in order to make a documentary film about the wildlife in Serengeti, Michael went with him and they worked on the film together.
Both father and son took a pilot certificate for a small plane before going to Africa.
Unfortunately, Michael was killed in an accident during the making of the film.
His small plane hit a large bird and crashed to the ground. Michael’s death was a huge tragedy for Bernhard and his family.
What do reviewers say about this drama?
On IMDb it has a rating of 66 per cent.
On Amazon there are at the moment 44 global ratings of this product, including nine with reviews.
The average rating is 4.6 stars, which corresponds to a rating of 92 percent,
In my opinion, the rating IMDb is too low, while the rating on Amazon is more appropriate.
As far as I can tell, this historical drama about the famous German zoologist and the people around him is what I call an ABC-product:
** Accurate,
** Balanced, and
** Comprehensive
It is highly recommended.
PS # 1. The family name Grzimek is pronounced “Zeemek” or perhaps “Gezeemek.”
PS # 2. Roland Suso Richter (born 1961) is the director of several television movies, including the following:
** The Tunnel (2001)
** Dresden (2006)
** Mogadischu (2008)
*****
The famous German zoologist
Bernhard Grzimek
(1909-1987)
*****
Professor Bernhard Grzimek
(1909-1987)
Founder of the Serengeti Park
*****
The documentary film
Serengeti darf nicht sterben
Serengeti Shall Not Die
(1959)
*****
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