Taking Sides
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Istvan Szabo
Birgit Minichmayr
August Zirner
Oleg Tabakov
Moritz Bleibtreu
Frank Leboeuf
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Based on the life of Wilhelm Furtwangler, the controversial conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic whose tenure coincided with the controversial Nazi era. One of the most spectacular and renowned conductors of the 1930s, Furtwangler's reputation rivaled that of Toscanini's. After the war, he was investigated as part of the Allies' de-Nazification programme. In the bombed-out Berlin of the immediate post-war period, the Allies slowly bring law and order--and justice--to bear on an occupied Germany. An American major is given the Furtwangler file, and is told to find everything he can and to prosecute the man ruthlessly. Tough and hard-nosed, Major Steve Arnold sets out to investigate a world of which he knows nothing. Orchestra members vouch for Furtwangler's morality--he did what he could to protect Jewish players from his orchestra. To the Germans, deeply respectful of their musical heritage, Furtwangler is a demigod; however, to Major Arnold, he is just a lying, weak-willed Nazi.
Director
Istvan Szabo
Cast
Birgit Minichmayr
August Zirner
Oleg Tabakov
Moritz Bleibtreu
Frank Leboeuf
Armin Rohde
Ulrich Tukur
Robin Renucci
Daniel White
Harvey Keitel
Stellan Skarsgård
Rinat Shaham
Jed Curtis
Hanns Zischler
Crew
Ken Adam
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Thorsten Binthe
Wolfgang Boge
Wolfgang Boge
Anton Bruckner
Fritz Buttenstedt
Udo Happel
Ronald Harwood
Ronald Harwood
Jeremy Isaacs
Lajos Koltai
Sylvie Landra
Maureen Mccabe
Rainer Mockert
Anja Müller
Yves Pasquier
Ralph Remstedt
Jacques Rousseau
Rainer Schaper
Franz Schubert
Brian Simmons
Gyorgyi Szakacs
Ulrich Trimborn
Michael Von Wolkenstein
Adolf Wojtinek
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States Fall September 5, 2003
Released in United States February 2002
Released in United States January 2002
Released in United States on Video April 27, 2004
Released in United States September 19, 2003
Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 6-17, 2002.
Shown at Palm Springs International Film Festival (Gala Screening) January 10-21, 2002.
Released in United States January 2002 (Shown at Palm Springs International Film Festival (Gala Screening) January 10-21, 2002.)
Released in United States February 2002 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 6-17, 2002.)
Released in United States on Video April 27, 2004
Released in United States Fall September 5, 2003
Released in United States September 19, 2003 (Los Angeles)
