53 reviews
Change Partners and Dance With Her
I wasn't expecting much from "Aimee and Jaguar," mainly because my satellite delivery company gave it a rating of only two stars out of four, usually reserved for semi-junk like Batman sequels. But that rating was deceptively low. This is a well-done and even fascinating flick. There are three chief reasons for my saying this.
First is the reconstruction of the period -- 1944 in Berlin. By that time the war was lost for Germany and everyone seemed to know it except the German citizens. Voices on the radio keep muttering on about how unconquerable the Germans are, but evidence to the contrary is all around. Berlin is bombed and blasted, areas reduced to piles of flaming rubbish. Food is difficult to come by. There is gaiety at parties but it is tense and forced. People have no place to live, except for whatever few feet they can cadge off someone else or pay exorbitantly for.
For the few Jews, blending in with the rest, the situation is more than simply desperate. Asked for their papers on the street they try to run and are shot dead. But there isn't anything in the way of self pity here. These women -- they seem to be exclusively females -- are pretty tough and pragmatic cookies. They dance, when they must, with power brokers while the band performs bravely on stage or a samba plays on a scratchy old record. (The prop master deserved an Iron Cross.) Makeup is outstanding as well. Hair is marcelled to a turn, lips are blushed, eyes are heavily kohled. I know I'm getting these words all wrong but you know what I mean. The perfomers don't look as if they were in contemporary makeup and garb with merely a nod to period fashions. The authenticity is such that they look almost alien to our eyes. Gee, and it was only fifty years ago too. Where does the time go?
Second, there is the acting. Well, in a word, it's simply fine, all around. Felice is a beautiful, dark-haired young Jewish woman. Actually, she fits a common German physical template very well, with her thin upturned nose, pointed chin, wide-set glistening eyes, and a pair of those eyebrows that seem to arch up onto the owner's forehead like V-2 rockets instead of hovering placidly over her orbital sockets where they belong. For an unusually good example of what I mean, take a look at Jon Voight's girl friend in "The Odessa File." Felice's German appearance however doesn't detract from the character's believability. German Jews by that time were pretty well assimilated, biologically and culturally, one of the reasons their attempted extermination came as such a shock to them, and to everyone else.
Felice is surrounded by friends who seem to be mainly lesbians, as carefree as the real circumstances permit. Lilly Wust, the woman Felice meets and begins by exploiting, is an equally fine actress. In fact, she really is very good, with her reticence and her frozen empty smile. Lilly is married, but her husband is away at the front most of the time, and she is almost crushed by fear and loneliness. At first, when Felice comes on to her, after their friendship has matured, she beats frantically at Felice's face and chest. Later, yielding to her needs, Lilly goes to bed with Felice, who makes gentle love to her and suggests that Lilly be "Aimee" while she, Felice, be called "Jaguar." I must say that this scene, which is no more erotic than it should be, is a tour de force on the part of the actress playing Lilly. I've rarely seen such a complex of emotions -- fright, awe, sexual desire, loneliness, and love -- projected with such impact. Lilly trembles all over in a kind of Jungian flooding out until, her instinctive repressions overcome, she grasps Felice and buries Felice's face against her breasts. Lilly's husband, Gunter, is a reasonably nice guy too. He comes home to visit his wife and children at every opportunity, even taking French leave from his unit to help Lilly celebrate her birthday. Alas he stumbles into the aftermath of a homosexual saturnalia.
The third element of this film that I find so impressive is the story itself, which I've kind of limned in above and won't go into in any detail. Let's just say that it has everything in it that you might expect in a movie designed for grown-ups. I can imagine a group of teenagers sitting around with popcorn and beer and complaining that, "Hey, this thing has SUBTITLES." And "Why can't we see more of her boobs?" (I kind of sympathize, there.) And, "Why does she get shot off screen so we can't see her brains blown out?" I don't think they'd get through the first five minutes, let alone the whole movie, but if you do, you will find your efforts rewarded.
First is the reconstruction of the period -- 1944 in Berlin. By that time the war was lost for Germany and everyone seemed to know it except the German citizens. Voices on the radio keep muttering on about how unconquerable the Germans are, but evidence to the contrary is all around. Berlin is bombed and blasted, areas reduced to piles of flaming rubbish. Food is difficult to come by. There is gaiety at parties but it is tense and forced. People have no place to live, except for whatever few feet they can cadge off someone else or pay exorbitantly for.
For the few Jews, blending in with the rest, the situation is more than simply desperate. Asked for their papers on the street they try to run and are shot dead. But there isn't anything in the way of self pity here. These women -- they seem to be exclusively females -- are pretty tough and pragmatic cookies. They dance, when they must, with power brokers while the band performs bravely on stage or a samba plays on a scratchy old record. (The prop master deserved an Iron Cross.) Makeup is outstanding as well. Hair is marcelled to a turn, lips are blushed, eyes are heavily kohled. I know I'm getting these words all wrong but you know what I mean. The perfomers don't look as if they were in contemporary makeup and garb with merely a nod to period fashions. The authenticity is such that they look almost alien to our eyes. Gee, and it was only fifty years ago too. Where does the time go?
Second, there is the acting. Well, in a word, it's simply fine, all around. Felice is a beautiful, dark-haired young Jewish woman. Actually, she fits a common German physical template very well, with her thin upturned nose, pointed chin, wide-set glistening eyes, and a pair of those eyebrows that seem to arch up onto the owner's forehead like V-2 rockets instead of hovering placidly over her orbital sockets where they belong. For an unusually good example of what I mean, take a look at Jon Voight's girl friend in "The Odessa File." Felice's German appearance however doesn't detract from the character's believability. German Jews by that time were pretty well assimilated, biologically and culturally, one of the reasons their attempted extermination came as such a shock to them, and to everyone else.
Felice is surrounded by friends who seem to be mainly lesbians, as carefree as the real circumstances permit. Lilly Wust, the woman Felice meets and begins by exploiting, is an equally fine actress. In fact, she really is very good, with her reticence and her frozen empty smile. Lilly is married, but her husband is away at the front most of the time, and she is almost crushed by fear and loneliness. At first, when Felice comes on to her, after their friendship has matured, she beats frantically at Felice's face and chest. Later, yielding to her needs, Lilly goes to bed with Felice, who makes gentle love to her and suggests that Lilly be "Aimee" while she, Felice, be called "Jaguar." I must say that this scene, which is no more erotic than it should be, is a tour de force on the part of the actress playing Lilly. I've rarely seen such a complex of emotions -- fright, awe, sexual desire, loneliness, and love -- projected with such impact. Lilly trembles all over in a kind of Jungian flooding out until, her instinctive repressions overcome, she grasps Felice and buries Felice's face against her breasts. Lilly's husband, Gunter, is a reasonably nice guy too. He comes home to visit his wife and children at every opportunity, even taking French leave from his unit to help Lilly celebrate her birthday. Alas he stumbles into the aftermath of a homosexual saturnalia.
The third element of this film that I find so impressive is the story itself, which I've kind of limned in above and won't go into in any detail. Let's just say that it has everything in it that you might expect in a movie designed for grown-ups. I can imagine a group of teenagers sitting around with popcorn and beer and complaining that, "Hey, this thing has SUBTITLES." And "Why can't we see more of her boobs?" (I kind of sympathize, there.) And, "Why does she get shot off screen so we can't see her brains blown out?" I don't think they'd get through the first five minutes, let alone the whole movie, but if you do, you will find your efforts rewarded.
- rmax304823
- Jun 28, 2002
- Permalink
So Strange It Had to Be True
The story of "Aimée & Jaguar" is so strange it has to be true. If it were fiction, it would be accused of being utterly unbelievable. But true it is.
The movie is told in flashback from the recollections of an elderly German woman who relives the events in her life during WWII. Married to a Nazi officer who is away fighting on the eastern front, she meets, is courted by, and is seduced by a brash, beautiful lesbian. But not only is this woman a lesbian (this alone could have landed her in a concentration camp), she is also a Jew and a member of the anti-Nazi German underground. And all this in 1943 as Allied bombs begin dropping on the capital of the Third Reich. Yes, this couldn't be fiction.
The movie focuses on the relationship between the two women. It's a complicated relationship, and one that is not fully explored. What motivates the young Jewish woman to pursue the German officer's wife? Isn't there enough danger in her life already? And the hausfrau, was she a closet homosexual all along? Or is her motivation boredom, or the stress of wartime? These issues are not answered satisfactorily.
Another drawback is the strange lack of tension. Any one of a dozen missteps could send them and their friends to tortuous deaths at the hands of the Gestapo. But they don't seem to be all that concerned. I'd be a blithering wreck, but they party on (often with the Nazi Party).
I think these are valid criticisms but "Aimée & Jaguar" is still an interesting, of not odd, movie. It's still worth a rental.
The movie is told in flashback from the recollections of an elderly German woman who relives the events in her life during WWII. Married to a Nazi officer who is away fighting on the eastern front, she meets, is courted by, and is seduced by a brash, beautiful lesbian. But not only is this woman a lesbian (this alone could have landed her in a concentration camp), she is also a Jew and a member of the anti-Nazi German underground. And all this in 1943 as Allied bombs begin dropping on the capital of the Third Reich. Yes, this couldn't be fiction.
The movie focuses on the relationship between the two women. It's a complicated relationship, and one that is not fully explored. What motivates the young Jewish woman to pursue the German officer's wife? Isn't there enough danger in her life already? And the hausfrau, was she a closet homosexual all along? Or is her motivation boredom, or the stress of wartime? These issues are not answered satisfactorily.
Another drawback is the strange lack of tension. Any one of a dozen missteps could send them and their friends to tortuous deaths at the hands of the Gestapo. But they don't seem to be all that concerned. I'd be a blithering wreck, but they party on (often with the Nazi Party).
I think these are valid criticisms but "Aimée & Jaguar" is still an interesting, of not odd, movie. It's still worth a rental.
A masterpiece... one of the greatest movies of our time
There does exist an expression in the German language that describes this movie perfectly. It's "großes Kino". Literally translated it means "big cinema" and you use it for movies that are really grand: Grand in their structure, grand in emotion and grand in class. If any movie deserves this title then it's this one.
The Plot: Berlin during WWII. We get an insight in the daily life of two complete different women who don't know each other. Lilly is young, married with four kids and because of this can afford a quite pleasant life (as Hitler was fond of mothers with many kids, they got more of everything than other families: more money, more food etc.). So while her husband is somewhere out there fighting the enemy, Lilly occasionally has affairs and while she has her fun with the men, a nanny is taking care of the kids. The other woman, also being quite young, is Felice. Felice is Jewish, works as a journalist for a newspaper and unlike Lilly has to daily cope with the fear of being discovered and transported to a KZ. As if it all were not enough, Felice is lesbian and enjoys life as much as possible in the circle of her (mostly lesbian) friends. Now, one day, Felice by chance sees Lilly in a theatre and almost instantly falls for her. Surprisingly enough Lilly loves her back and they begin an irresistible and passionate affair, which at the time and circumstances back there was like dancing on a volcano
Of course the film deals with WWII and the holocaust here but the best thing about it is that it's only done on the side. The plot concentrates on the two women, the two different worlds they live in and their feelings towards each other. It's all so intensive and it's not all about two suffering girls who lived in a horrible time and were not allowed to love each other, it's about two strong women with a lust for life who tried not to care too much about the Nazi regime, but to concentrate on seizing the day. After watching it you don't only feel for them, you admire them for having been so strong and courageous. But most of all you get to appreciate love and life again.
A truly great film about a great love in times where this love seemed to be impossible. Based on true events.
The Plot: Berlin during WWII. We get an insight in the daily life of two complete different women who don't know each other. Lilly is young, married with four kids and because of this can afford a quite pleasant life (as Hitler was fond of mothers with many kids, they got more of everything than other families: more money, more food etc.). So while her husband is somewhere out there fighting the enemy, Lilly occasionally has affairs and while she has her fun with the men, a nanny is taking care of the kids. The other woman, also being quite young, is Felice. Felice is Jewish, works as a journalist for a newspaper and unlike Lilly has to daily cope with the fear of being discovered and transported to a KZ. As if it all were not enough, Felice is lesbian and enjoys life as much as possible in the circle of her (mostly lesbian) friends. Now, one day, Felice by chance sees Lilly in a theatre and almost instantly falls for her. Surprisingly enough Lilly loves her back and they begin an irresistible and passionate affair, which at the time and circumstances back there was like dancing on a volcano
Of course the film deals with WWII and the holocaust here but the best thing about it is that it's only done on the side. The plot concentrates on the two women, the two different worlds they live in and their feelings towards each other. It's all so intensive and it's not all about two suffering girls who lived in a horrible time and were not allowed to love each other, it's about two strong women with a lust for life who tried not to care too much about the Nazi regime, but to concentrate on seizing the day. After watching it you don't only feel for them, you admire them for having been so strong and courageous. But most of all you get to appreciate love and life again.
A truly great film about a great love in times where this love seemed to be impossible. Based on true events.
- smoothhoney1265
- Apr 3, 2005
- Permalink
Over The Top Doomed Romance
A True Unconventional and Sensitive Love Story, In a Sad Period of German History
In Berlin, along the Second World War, Felice Schragenheim (Maria Schrader) is a bright Jewish lesbian working in a Nazi newspaper under a false identity and being member of a resistance organization. Lilly Wust (Juliane Köhler) is a woman married with the soldier Günther Wust (Detlev Buck), who is fighting in the German front. Lilly is mother of four children and has never found love, being unfaithful to her husband. Felice meets Lilly and they fall in love for each other, adopting the nickname of Jaguar (Felice) and Aimée (Lilly), jeopardizing the safety of Felicia. This true unconventional and sensitive love story, in a sad period of German history, is a wonderful movie. The reconstitution of the Berlin in the war period is amazing. The performance of the cast is stunning, and the direction is outstanding. Although dealing with lesbian love, this powerful, unforgettable and touching romance is one of the most beautiful film I have recently seen. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): 'Aimée & Jaguar'
Title (Brazil): 'Aimée & Jaguar'
- claudio_carvalho
- Aug 2, 2004
- Permalink
Lesbian love
This unconventional German film is set in battle-torn Berlin in the final months of World War II, as a Jewish lesbian woman falls in love with the wife of a Nazi officer. Schrader and Kohler turn in fine performances in the title roles. The relationship between the two women, which is the whole focus of this movie, is not fully developed. It is not clear what the attraction is between them and why the relationship runs hot and cold. The story is told in flashbacks and the makeup artist deserves kudos for the convincing job of aging Schrader and Wokalek. The period sets are impressive and there's a lovely score but it goes on a bit too long.
An impressing love-story in war-time Berlin.
Lilly, a mother-of-4, disappointed by her unfaithful huband is eagerly looking for love. - In a war-time Berlin where insanity rules: a murderous Nazi-dictatorship leaving no space for freedom, constant allied bomb attacks destroying and killing. She finally finds love in Felice (brilliant: Maria Schrader), a Jewish girl, part of the Berlin Lesbian scene. Lilly breaks with her husband, despite (or because?) of all the terror around they are having an intense love affair until finally the terror proves to be stronger... All this sounds very made-up but it is a true story. Lilly is still living in Berlin having stayed alone since then. And all this sounds like a kitschy and schmaltzy movie, but thanks to the fact that it is not a Hollywood production it isn't. Much more it is overwhelming and always stays near-to-life. A movie about the huming being's will to be happy despite all insanity. Absolutely recommended!
Worthwhile Holocaust-themed melodrama
Satisfying WWII-set romantic tragedy
AIMEE & JAGUAR tells the tragic story of a doomed love affair between a Jewish lesbian and the wife of an SS officer. While it does get a little too melodramatic in parts, overall this is a touching story with great performances across the board and a beautiful score. The only technical aspect I didn't really care for was that the film looked very made-for-TV. However, the movie was directed by someone who has mainly worked in German television. The special effects were OK, with some good explosions when Berlin is being bombed (this takes place towards the end of WWII). Generally speaking, the production values are decent but don't really approach the level of a large studio film. Highly recommended to those who like WWII movies, particularly dealing with unorthodox/uncommon subjects, and anyone who likes a good love story.
- brchthethird
- Nov 13, 2014
- Permalink
Brilliant, moving, erotic masterpiece
The setting is Berlin during the last days of World War II. Aimée and Jaguar are nicknames for two women. Jaguar, or Felice Schragenheim, is played by Maria Schrader, a painfully slender, winsome, enigmatic, and devastatingly beautiful actress whose character rolls through this story like a loose cannon. She is well matched by Aimée, or Lilly Wust, played by Juliane Köhler, attractive but older, by turns lustful and distraught.
To survive in difficult times, young Felice poses for nude photos, works in a newspaper office, and gives dance lessons. Lilly is a housewife, mother of four small children, and her husband is at the eastern front. She entertains single men while her children go to the zoo "again?" Felice conceives a passion for Lilly from afar and writes her a romantic letter, signed "Jaguar."
I don't want to spoil the story, so I will say no more about it. This is a frankly sexy, exceedingly passionate movie based on a true story. The acting is spectacular, the recreation of time and place is convincing enough, and the music and photography are exemplary. In German with English subtitles. Highest recommendation.
In a few scenes, especially during the first hour, I had the impression that I was getting the text of what was being said, but was missing the subtext--i.e., what was really going on. I plan to watch it again before sending it back to Netflix, something I've not done previously (though I came close with High Noon). If you suspect that I conceived a passion for Felice from afar, you'd be right; you might, too, if you see this movie. But see it also because it's simply excellent from beginning to end.
Alan Nicoll
To survive in difficult times, young Felice poses for nude photos, works in a newspaper office, and gives dance lessons. Lilly is a housewife, mother of four small children, and her husband is at the eastern front. She entertains single men while her children go to the zoo "again?" Felice conceives a passion for Lilly from afar and writes her a romantic letter, signed "Jaguar."
I don't want to spoil the story, so I will say no more about it. This is a frankly sexy, exceedingly passionate movie based on a true story. The acting is spectacular, the recreation of time and place is convincing enough, and the music and photography are exemplary. In German with English subtitles. Highest recommendation.
In a few scenes, especially during the first hour, I had the impression that I was getting the text of what was being said, but was missing the subtext--i.e., what was really going on. I plan to watch it again before sending it back to Netflix, something I've not done previously (though I came close with High Noon). If you suspect that I conceived a passion for Felice from afar, you'd be right; you might, too, if you see this movie. But see it also because it's simply excellent from beginning to end.
Alan Nicoll
- alan_nicoll
- Nov 1, 2004
- Permalink
A Different Picture Of Life In Nazi Germany
Set in Berlin during what appear to be the latter years of World War II, this movie follows the developing relationship between two women. Maria Schrader played Felice (Jaguar) a young Jewish woman who's also a lesbian, who meets up with Lilly Wust (or Aimee, played by Juliane Kohler) who's married to a German officer (and who's having an affair with another German officer.) The story of their relationship as it develops from cautious friendship into a full blown love affair is told in a non- sensationalistic way, and it manages to offer a glimpse of what life in Berlin might have been like during those desperate years.
What I really liked about this movie was the fact that it avoided the opportunity to be exploitative on at least two fronts - both the Holocaust and lesbianism were simply a part of the story, but they weren't THE story. The story was about the relationship between the two, and seemed to focus far more on the emotional side of that relationship than on the sexual side. There's a minimal amount of nudity, but very little overt sexuality, so anyone looking for a soft-porn type of lesbian movie should look elsewhere. Both Aimee and Jaguar (as Lilly and Felice nicknamed themselves) come across as people struggling - as Berliners were in those days - to survive the madness of Nazi Germany. So it's a story of survival and perseverance; there's also a bit of a journey of self-discovery involved. The movie is told as a flashback. The movie opens with a reunion between Lily and her former maid Ilse (who was a part of the lesbian circle Felice was involved in) in the 1990's. The ending of the movie goes back to the "modern" conversation between Lilly and Ilse. To be honest, I wasn't sure that the movie needed to include those bookends - the story could have been told well enough without them.
This is intriguing because it's a true story; Lilly Wust herself apparently vouched for its accuracy, and because it's different than most of the "set in Nazi Germany" stories you come across. Subtitles don't really appeal to me all that much, but the story is easy enough to follow, and hearing the original German you really do get a sense of the emotions of the characters as the story progresses. (7/10)
What I really liked about this movie was the fact that it avoided the opportunity to be exploitative on at least two fronts - both the Holocaust and lesbianism were simply a part of the story, but they weren't THE story. The story was about the relationship between the two, and seemed to focus far more on the emotional side of that relationship than on the sexual side. There's a minimal amount of nudity, but very little overt sexuality, so anyone looking for a soft-porn type of lesbian movie should look elsewhere. Both Aimee and Jaguar (as Lilly and Felice nicknamed themselves) come across as people struggling - as Berliners were in those days - to survive the madness of Nazi Germany. So it's a story of survival and perseverance; there's also a bit of a journey of self-discovery involved. The movie is told as a flashback. The movie opens with a reunion between Lily and her former maid Ilse (who was a part of the lesbian circle Felice was involved in) in the 1990's. The ending of the movie goes back to the "modern" conversation between Lilly and Ilse. To be honest, I wasn't sure that the movie needed to include those bookends - the story could have been told well enough without them.
This is intriguing because it's a true story; Lilly Wust herself apparently vouched for its accuracy, and because it's different than most of the "set in Nazi Germany" stories you come across. Subtitles don't really appeal to me all that much, but the story is easy enough to follow, and hearing the original German you really do get a sense of the emotions of the characters as the story progresses. (7/10)
More Weimar Decadence Than Nazi Suspense
Juliane Kohler was so stunningly beautiful as Eva Braun in DOWNFALL that I just had to see this movie to see her in action once again.
Unfortunately, this movie is no DOWNFALL. Instead of grinding terror and tension, there's only a faint sense of malaise. The destruction of the Nazi state is presented as faintly annoying background noise rather than a cataclysmic event. The real focus of the film is on two women drawn together by lust -- a Jewish bohemian and a placid German housewife. But the two doomed lovers never really seem truly passionate, nor is there any sense of danger and terror all around.
Maybe this story would have worked better if it had been set in the Weimar Republic instead of Nazi Germany. Then all the high-living party scenes with the dazzling Jewish heroine showing off her wit and irreverence in public would be more believable. And the placid, oblivious blonde housewife would be easier to forgive for her bland submission.
Unfortunately, this movie is no DOWNFALL. Instead of grinding terror and tension, there's only a faint sense of malaise. The destruction of the Nazi state is presented as faintly annoying background noise rather than a cataclysmic event. The real focus of the film is on two women drawn together by lust -- a Jewish bohemian and a placid German housewife. But the two doomed lovers never really seem truly passionate, nor is there any sense of danger and terror all around.
Maybe this story would have worked better if it had been set in the Weimar Republic instead of Nazi Germany. Then all the high-living party scenes with the dazzling Jewish heroine showing off her wit and irreverence in public would be more believable. And the placid, oblivious blonde housewife would be easier to forgive for her bland submission.
- Dan1863Sickles
- Nov 6, 2006
- Permalink
A true work of art
This wonderful German production, based on fact, tells the story of a lesbian love affair at the height of the war in Berlin, between a Jewish woman concealing her identity from the authorities and a loyal German mother of four whose husband is serving in the army. But the film is exceptional not just for its frankness in presenting the passionate relationship, but for its portrayal of Berliners trying to lead ordinary lives, while their city is under heavy bombardment and is being destroyed before their eyes. And this near-normal background throws into sharp relief the ghastly horror of the Nazi regime, its vain pursuit of total victory, and its fanatical hatred and persecution of Jews.
The acting of principals Maria Schrader as Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar) and Juliane Köhler as Lilly Wust (Aimée) has an integrity and intensity which has almost disappeared from Hollywood, but it never lapses into melodrama. Outstanding in the large supporting cast are Johanna Wokalek as Ilse, a rival with Aimée for Jaguar's love; and Detlev Buck as Aimée's husband, Günther, who manages to elicit our sympathy for his personal predicament, while repelling us with his Nazi arrogance and cloddishness.
A notable feature of the movie is that it reminds us that, like London and Paris, wartime Berlin still had a thriving nightlife, with Beethoven concerts, well dressed women and officers drinking in luxury hotel lounges, and smart receptions. Jaguar and her friends also represent a bohemian fringe of society, dating back to the Weimar period of the 20s and early 30s, that had not been extinguished by the Nazis. These scenes give the film colour and style, features sometimes missing from movies set in time of war.
This is one of those very rare movies in which not only every element - scenario, acting, camerawork, effects, interior and exterior locations, music etc - is almost perfect in itself, but in which they add up to a true work of art. If you have a chance, see it!
The acting of principals Maria Schrader as Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar) and Juliane Köhler as Lilly Wust (Aimée) has an integrity and intensity which has almost disappeared from Hollywood, but it never lapses into melodrama. Outstanding in the large supporting cast are Johanna Wokalek as Ilse, a rival with Aimée for Jaguar's love; and Detlev Buck as Aimée's husband, Günther, who manages to elicit our sympathy for his personal predicament, while repelling us with his Nazi arrogance and cloddishness.
A notable feature of the movie is that it reminds us that, like London and Paris, wartime Berlin still had a thriving nightlife, with Beethoven concerts, well dressed women and officers drinking in luxury hotel lounges, and smart receptions. Jaguar and her friends also represent a bohemian fringe of society, dating back to the Weimar period of the 20s and early 30s, that had not been extinguished by the Nazis. These scenes give the film colour and style, features sometimes missing from movies set in time of war.
This is one of those very rare movies in which not only every element - scenario, acting, camerawork, effects, interior and exterior locations, music etc - is almost perfect in itself, but in which they add up to a true work of art. If you have a chance, see it!
Spectacular film!!!
Awesome acting job, awesome directing job, awesome script-everything about this movie is awesome! Jaguar's character is a combination of Buffy, Xena, and Winston Churchill. By day, she's Felice Schragenheim, the docile, polite writer for a Nazi newspaper. By night, she's Jaguar, the assertive, insurrectionist fighter for the German Resistence.
The movie also does a great job of portraying lesbian love as just as valid and intimate as heterosexual love. Aimee and Jaguar cultivate a loving, compassionate, loyal relationship. Whether or not it is recognized by religion or government, Aimee and Jaguar are married. They even raise children together. I hope this movie will divulge Jaguar's prowess and humanity and stimulate curiosity about this great woman.
The movie also does a great job of portraying lesbian love as just as valid and intimate as heterosexual love. Aimee and Jaguar cultivate a loving, compassionate, loyal relationship. Whether or not it is recognized by religion or government, Aimee and Jaguar are married. They even raise children together. I hope this movie will divulge Jaguar's prowess and humanity and stimulate curiosity about this great woman.
Excellent Movie
This is the most heart wrenching and passion filled movie I ever saw. It was very sad to see how it truly was in the days of the holocaust. It is the story of a gay woman trying to make a difference in her nightmare filled world of Nazi's in Germany. The holocaust was one of the darkest chapters in human history.
- ariesluv20
- Dec 10, 2002
- Permalink
Sappho endures
What sets this apart from your typical Jew/Nazi movie was that it was a love affair between a wife of a Nazi hero and a Jewish girl who does not wear a star and is an assistant to the newpaper editor of Berlins biggest paper.
The courage and nerve these young kids had is breathtaking and the disaster that they befell at the hands of the Nazis devastated me more than most typical Nazi movies. At some point I had a revelation. I understood that there was no imbalance of power. I realized that the Nazis were not all powerful as I had presumed. All around them were people of the same, if not more strength, opposing them. The resistance was as cunning and determined as the Nazis - it was inevitable that good would win. There is a line in the movie where one girl is telling another girl who is reprimanding her for something, "You did not create the world - God did." Wonderful way to say - you can't judge me.
The love making scene is hard to watch. Don't get me wrong - I am not prejudice - it is hard to watch because the Lilly is so scared and beaten (psychologically, physically) by Nazi men and when the Jewish girl (Felice) kneels at Lilly's feet and just holds her ankles and rests her cheek on the Lilly's calves you are in as much pain as the Lilly. The actress who plays Lilly just breaks your heart because her whole body is wracked in these hysterical shivers and no words. It is the old saying put before you in the form of these two women - one Nazi, one Jewish - that `the master becomes the slave' And of course it symbolized the whole Nazi situation. It is what Shakespear tried to to teach us in MacBeth - the blood was so much more powerful than the knife.
The courage and nerve these young kids had is breathtaking and the disaster that they befell at the hands of the Nazis devastated me more than most typical Nazi movies. At some point I had a revelation. I understood that there was no imbalance of power. I realized that the Nazis were not all powerful as I had presumed. All around them were people of the same, if not more strength, opposing them. The resistance was as cunning and determined as the Nazis - it was inevitable that good would win. There is a line in the movie where one girl is telling another girl who is reprimanding her for something, "You did not create the world - God did." Wonderful way to say - you can't judge me.
The love making scene is hard to watch. Don't get me wrong - I am not prejudice - it is hard to watch because the Lilly is so scared and beaten (psychologically, physically) by Nazi men and when the Jewish girl (Felice) kneels at Lilly's feet and just holds her ankles and rests her cheek on the Lilly's calves you are in as much pain as the Lilly. The actress who plays Lilly just breaks your heart because her whole body is wracked in these hysterical shivers and no words. It is the old saying put before you in the form of these two women - one Nazi, one Jewish - that `the master becomes the slave' And of course it symbolized the whole Nazi situation. It is what Shakespear tried to to teach us in MacBeth - the blood was so much more powerful than the knife.
- mary-leezer
- Feb 29, 2004
- Permalink
I loved this movie!
I have seen this movie and thought it was a wonderful movie, I have never seen anything like it. I was disappointed in the plot description, I feel it was lacking in what the movie was really about. If truth be told the movie was about a group of Lesbian Jews who held on to each other during the time of the Holacast. Although one of the women was a married woman with children could only make her bi-sexual at the most. I believe she only found out she was a lesbian later on in life when she met the love of her life. BTW, I found this movie at a LGBT center where I volunteer, and yes, I am a Lesbian and proud of it. As a piece of history I also find it to be well done. Good movie!
- sbourdelier
- Dec 14, 2006
- Permalink
Deserved a better film than this
- JamesHitchcock
- Oct 19, 2017
- Permalink
Even the blackest storms bring forth flowers.
This is a beautiful story and a haunting film, set in crumbling Berlin near the end of Germany's second run at world domination. Felice is a young stenographer hiding her Jewish identity and passing stealthily through bombed-out Berlin. She runs with a pack of party-girls, lesbians all, who butterfly their nights away living for the moment in the face of destruction, persecution, and death.
Lilly is a German housewife with four children and a husband on the Russian front. She is introduced, however, as a mistress to a Nazi officer, and the viewer sees immediately that Lilly is simply lost...dutifully serving out her role(s) to the men in her life, yet stricken with a suspicion that love has escaped her.
Then she meets Felice...
The affair transforms both women. Lilly finds love and discovers who she really is, while Felice finds a reason to stop running.
It's easy to forget that bravery in wartime is not reserved solely fo combat soldiers. In these two women, we see courage, hope, and beauty emerge from ruin and desperation. As one of the minor characters points out late in the film, love should be appreciated wherever it can take root---especially when times and situations seem impossibly chaotic.
This director offers an underlying gentleness that makes the movie all the more effective. The performances are passionate and inspired. War news via radio broadcasts is masterfully woven in to frame the film while giving the viewer a sense that time is running out in Berlin. One knock on the film might be that there are too few sympathetic male characters. But, given the setting, maybe that was to be expected.
Lilly is a German housewife with four children and a husband on the Russian front. She is introduced, however, as a mistress to a Nazi officer, and the viewer sees immediately that Lilly is simply lost...dutifully serving out her role(s) to the men in her life, yet stricken with a suspicion that love has escaped her.
Then she meets Felice...
The affair transforms both women. Lilly finds love and discovers who she really is, while Felice finds a reason to stop running.
It's easy to forget that bravery in wartime is not reserved solely fo combat soldiers. In these two women, we see courage, hope, and beauty emerge from ruin and desperation. As one of the minor characters points out late in the film, love should be appreciated wherever it can take root---especially when times and situations seem impossibly chaotic.
This director offers an underlying gentleness that makes the movie all the more effective. The performances are passionate and inspired. War news via radio broadcasts is masterfully woven in to frame the film while giving the viewer a sense that time is running out in Berlin. One knock on the film might be that there are too few sympathetic male characters. But, given the setting, maybe that was to be expected.
- sonnyboy3469
- Jun 24, 2003
- Permalink
Beautiful Film
This is an astonishing film. It is beautifully crafted by a first time director, Faberbock. Think it will become a classic of German cinema. Great story told so movingly and intelligently. The acting is some of the best I think I have ever seen--the primary as well as all of the supporting actors. Maria Schrader and Juliane Kohler do deserve special recognition and talk about screen chemistry! Maria Schrader's Felice is so right and so penetrating--think the scene where she tells the "girls" goodbye and walks away one of the most moving bits of acting ever. Kohler's Lilly is equally impressive. I think this film deserves a wider audience than it will probably get as it is first rate in every regard. I fail to see how Fassbinder could have added a thing.
A True Masterpiece
This film is truly a work of art. The cinematography is beautiful, the scenes are reminiscent of paintings from Carravagio. The true strength of this film is the acting, especially from Juliane Kohler and Maria Schrader. Although I love the movie (I've seen it 4 times.), it's true that the book is better (as with any film based on a book), one is able to understand the depth and complexity of the relationship much more in Erica Fischer's book. Nevertheless, this film is a monumental success. It is especially interesting to note that it was a big hit in Germany , and the very first Holocaust era film from a personal point of view to be made by the Germans.
BRILLIANT!
This is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen in my life and it has shortly become one of my favourites. The true love story is so poignant and touching. And both leading ladies are spectacular. I like particularly Maria Schrader - when she's on screen, her intense acting presence captivates your full attention. To me, she's the greatest actress in today's German cinema.
Aimée & Jaguar is sure a treasure. Too bad it takes so long for non-us films to be out on video or dvd.
Aimée & Jaguar is sure a treasure. Too bad it takes so long for non-us films to be out on video or dvd.
- jornalismo2
- Nov 22, 2000
- Permalink
Impressed with this movie....!
Is it just me or am I totally convinced that these two people actually fell in love on this movie? I rented this movie thinking it was a history lesson, but I soon find out that this was a true love story. Maria Schrader and Juliane Kohler were incredible on this movie. I am kind of sorry I hadn't catch it earlier. I am glad some of you were able to see past the lesbian theme & saw two people that ultimately fell in love through understanding. At one point in time we all come across that person that take our breath away. This movie was about these two people's time of falling in love, though it was a bit short for them.
P.S. Hollywood don't make it like these anymore.
P.S. Hollywood don't make it like these anymore.
- rodolfoIII
- Jun 29, 2002
- Permalink
The love of two women during wartime
- Horst_In_Translation
- Feb 9, 2015
- Permalink