Gay actor Martin Kurath (Jürgen Prochnow) who is in prison develops a friendship with Thomas Manzoni (Ernst Hannawald), the 15-year-old son of the prison warden (Lüönd). The two fall in love and they both yearn for Kurath's release. This triggers intense indignation in their surroundings. After Kurath is released a year later, Thomas, accompanied by Kurath, tells his parents he is a homosexual. His father tells him to leave and never return. Kurath and Thomas move in together and Thomas enrolls in school. Thomas' father, however, then has him arrested and condemned to a brutal reformatory. Kurath obtains a fake passport and poses as a psychology doctoral candidate and helps Thomas escape with him to Germany. They are betrayed by a German homosexual friend of Kurath's who insists, in Kurath's absence, that Thomas become his lover in order to obtain a German residency permit. Thomas does so, but then refuses to sleep with the betrayer, is kicked out and prostitutes himself. Broken by these experiences, he voluntarily returns to the reformatory. When he reaches 21 and is released, he is so psychologically damaged that, despite reunion with Kurath, he attempts suicide and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. He escapes and the film ends with a TV announcement that the police are looking for him and that the public should, if approaching him, treat him gently, as he is very depressed and confused.
Literary original
The novel Die Konsequenz, which reads like the diary of Martin Kurath, is set in 1974. The Swiss Alexander Ziegler processed his personal experiences in the book. He himself served two and a half years in prison for "seducing an innocent underaged person to unnatural sexual acts".
In March 2008, the film was released on DVD as part of a complete works edition of director Wolfgang Petersen's films (size: 22 DVDs).
Controversy
The original version of the film received a Wertvoll (i.e. "recommended") quality award in the German Filmprädikat rating scheme, but was censored due to its perceived incendiary content in the first television broadcast on ARD on November 8, 1977, and regional affiliate Bayerischer Rundfunk refused to relay the transmission signal.[2]
The novel and film had a pivotal role in West Germany in starting a dialogue on the topic of homosexuality, a role analogous to that played by the works of Roger Peyrefitte in France.[3]
Reviews
Despite somewhat dramatic decorations [...] it [the story] is, above all, a natural love story in black and white – one of the most private and credible to have been seen on the screen in a long time.
Wolfgang Petersen and Ulrich Greiwe (editors): Die Resonanz. Briefe und Dokumente zum Film "Die Konsequenz"ISBN3-596-23423-9, Fischer-TB 3423, Frankfurt am Main, 1980
References
^: Dokumentation: Bayern im November 1977. (in German). Newspaper article at the release of the film. Presseartikel zur Ausstrahlung des Films.
^"Presse über den Film "Die Konsequenz"" (in German). www.deutsches-filmhaus.de. 24 August 2008. Retrieved 12 August 2009.[dead link]
^"En Allemagne, un rôle analogue revint au roman d’Alexander Ziegler, Die Konsequenz (1975), porté à l’écran et diffusé en novembre 1977. Le film, bien que partiellement censuré – et non diffusé par la télévision bavaroise – eut un écho retentissant, fit de l’homosexualité un sujet de société et offrit à des milliers d’individus l’occasion de rompre le silence. Certes, ce fut la télévision qui permit de toucher des millions d’Allemands et de Français mais dans les deux cas, ce fut la finesse littéraire de deux écrivains, Roger Peyrefitte et Alexander Ziegler, qui fit vibrer la corde sensible des téléspectateurs." Benoît PIVERT, "Homosexualité(s) et littérature: Appel à contribution" in CAHIERS DE LA RAL,M nº 10[1] 2011-07-07 at the Wayback Machine
^Der Spiegel, November 7, 1977, quoted in: Scheugl, Hans Sexualität und Neurose im Film. Die Kinomythen von Griffith bis Warhol. - Approved, unabridged paperback edition - Heyne, Munich (1978) (Heyne-Buch; 7074), ISBN3-453-00899-5, p. 211
konsequenz, consequence, 1977, west, german, made, television, film, directed, wolfgang, petersen, screenplay, adaptation, 1975, autobiographical, novel, same, name, alexander, ziegler, film, premiered, november, 1977, directed, bywolfgang, petersenwritten, by. Die Konsequenz The Consequence is a 1977 West German made for television film directed by Wolfgang Petersen The screenplay is an adaptation of the 1975 autobiographical novel of the same name by Alexander Ziegler The film premiered on ARD on 8 November 1977 1 Die KonsequenzDirected byWolfgang PetersenWritten byAlexander Ziegler and Wolfgang PetersenProduced byBernd EichingerStarringJurgen Prochnow Ernst Hannawald Walo Luond Edith Volkmann Erwin Kohlund Hans Irle Erwin Parker Alexander Ziegler Werner Schwuchow Hans Michael Rehberg Elisabeth Fricker Hans Putz Wolf Gaudlitz Thomas Haerin Carsten Neumann Franz Kollasch Alexis von Hagemeister Jan Groth Gerold Nolli Franz StiefelCinematographyJorg Michael BaldeniusEdited byJohannes NikelMusic byNils SustrateProductioncompanySolaris FilmRelease dateNovember 8 1977 1977 11 08 Running time100 minutesCountryWest GermanyLanguageGerman Contents 1 Plot 2 Literary original 3 Film production 4 Controversy 5 Reviews 6 Awards 7 Literature 8 References 9 External linksPlot EditGay actor Martin Kurath Jurgen Prochnow who is in prison develops a friendship with Thomas Manzoni Ernst Hannawald the 15 year old son of the prison warden Luond The two fall in love and they both yearn for Kurath s release This triggers intense indignation in their surroundings After Kurath is released a year later Thomas accompanied by Kurath tells his parents he is a homosexual His father tells him to leave and never return Kurath and Thomas move in together and Thomas enrolls in school Thomas father however then has him arrested and condemned to a brutal reformatory Kurath obtains a fake passport and poses as a psychology doctoral candidate and helps Thomas escape with him to Germany They are betrayed by a German homosexual friend of Kurath s who insists in Kurath s absence that Thomas become his lover in order to obtain a German residency permit Thomas does so but then refuses to sleep with the betrayer is kicked out and prostitutes himself Broken by these experiences he voluntarily returns to the reformatory When he reaches 21 and is released he is so psychologically damaged that despite reunion with Kurath he attempts suicide and is committed to a psychiatric hospital He escapes and the film ends with a TV announcement that the police are looking for him and that the public should if approaching him treat him gently as he is very depressed and confused Literary original EditThe novel Die Konsequenz which reads like the diary of Martin Kurath is set in 1974 The Swiss Alexander Ziegler processed his personal experiences in the book He himself served two and a half years in prison for seducing an innocent underaged person to unnatural sexual acts Film production EditAlexander Ziegler contributed personally in the collaboration of Bernd Eichinger s 1977 adaptation of the novel and with the director Wolfgang Petersen Die Konsequenz was made for television and filmed in black and white on 16 mm film The soundtrack is composed by Nils Sustrate In March 2008 the film was released on DVD as part of a complete works edition of director Wolfgang Petersen s films size 22 DVDs Controversy EditThe original version of the film received a Wertvoll i e recommended quality award in the German Filmpradikat rating scheme but was censored due to its perceived incendiary content in the first television broadcast on ARD on November 8 1977 and regional affiliate Bayerischer Rundfunk refused to relay the transmission signal 2 The novel and film had a pivotal role in West Germany in starting a dialogue on the topic of homosexuality a role analogous to that played by the works of Roger Peyrefitte in France 3 Reviews EditDespite somewhat dramatic decorations it the story is above all a natural love story in black and white one of the most private and credible to have been seen on the screen in a long time Der Spiegel 4 Awards EditAdolf Grimme Awards 1977Literature EditAlexander Ziegler Die Konsequenz ISBN 3 596 23407 7 Fischer TB 3407 Frankfurt am Main 1978 Wolfgang Petersen and Ulrich Greiwe editors Die Resonanz Briefe und Dokumente zum Film Die Konsequenz ISBN 3 596 23423 9 Fischer TB 3423 Frankfurt am Main 1980References Edit wuerzburg gay web de Dokumentation Bayern im November 1977 in German Newspaper article at the release of the film Presseartikel zur Ausstrahlung des Films Presse uber den Film Die Konsequenz in German www deutsches filmhaus de 24 August 2008 Retrieved 12 August 2009 dead link En Allemagne un role analogue revint au roman d Alexander Ziegler Die Konsequenz 1975 porte a l ecran et diffuse en novembre 1977 Le film bien que partiellement censure et non diffuse par la television bavaroise eut un echo retentissant fit de l homosexualite un sujet de societe et offrit a des milliers d individus l occasion de rompre le silence Certes ce fut la television qui permit de toucher des millions d Allemands et de Francais mais dans les deux cas ce fut la finesse litteraire de deux ecrivains Roger Peyrefitte et Alexander Ziegler qui fit vibrer la corde sensible des telespectateurs Benoit PIVERT Homosexualite s et litterature Appel a contribution in CAHIERS DE LA RAL M nº 10 1 Archived 2011 07 07 at the Wayback Machine Der Spiegel November 7 1977 quoted in Scheugl Hans Sexualitat und Neurose im Film Die Kinomythen von Griffith bis Warhol Approved unabridged paperback edition Heyne Munich 1978 Heyne Buch 7074 ISBN 3 453 00899 5 p 211External links EditDie Konsequenz at IMDb in German gay web de in German www deutsches filmhaus de permanent dead link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Die Konsequenz amp oldid 1133695976, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
