Le Coup de Grace - Criterion Collection

Starring:Margarethe von Trotta, Matthias Habich, RÃ¼diger Kirschstein, Marc Eyraud, Bruno Thost, Frederik von Zichy, Valeska Gert, Mathieu CarriÃ¨re, Henry van Lyck
Director: Volker SchlÃ¶ndorff
Studio: Criterion
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Passion and politics collide with tragically bleak results in Le Coup de Grace. Dedicating his film to French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville, director Volker Schlöndorff (The Tin Drum) emulates Melville's fascination with themes of war, adapting (with his wife and star, Margarethe von Trotta) the novel Der Fangschuß by Marguerite Yourcenar, set in Latvia in 1919 after the end of World War I. While sporadic fighting continues in the Baltic states, naive countess Sophie (von Trotta) seals her fate by falling in love with Erich (Matthias Habich), a Prussian soldier who secretly desires Sophie's brother (in one of several vaguely handled subplots). She retaliates by supporting the Communists and, when captured, demands that Erich be her executioner. Like the repressed emotions of its characters, the drama's power is nearly subdued by Schlondorff's murky ambiguity; it helps to be familiar with the film's historical context, but Le Coup de Grace is still a worthy companion to Schlöndorff's The Lost Honor of Katharina Blum, and a hauntingly atmospheric tale of wartime self-destruction. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Latvia, 1919: the end of the Russian Civil War. An aristocratic young woman (brilliantly played by Margarethe von Trotta) becomes involved with a sexually repressed Prussian soldier. When she is rejected by her love, the young woman is sent into a downward spiral of psychosexual depression, promiscuity, and revolutionary collaboration. A startling tale of heartbreak and violence set against the backdrop of bloody revolution, Volker Schlöndorff's Le Coup de grâce is a powerful film that explores the interrelation of private passion and political commitment.

Customer Reviews:

A substantial cinematic experience worthy of repeated viewings.......2006-09-09

There is much to relish in this fine film, maybe the Director's finest. There is the rich and beautiful black and white compositions that invest every frame with considerable aesthetic power. There are fine performances from all - grave diggers, porters, villagers, revolutionaries, aristocrats. There is stunning direction - one instance is the scene where military officer Erich - the object of desire of Sophie - enters her bedroom with her at her dressing table only to find younger military officer Plessen standing at her bedside about to light a cigarette. We know from a previous scene, that Sophie prefers to makeup her face after lovemaking and it is almost a cinematic convention of old, that lovers light up post coitus. Plessen offers Erich a cigarette, just like the gentleman Plessen is, and just like the gentleman Erich is, he takes it. As this business carries on, the camera remains still, Sophie remains still, Plessen and Erich finally stand still - all the while we the audience see the reflection of the bed in the dressing table mirror LOOMING centre stage, infesting our minds with the wildest possible imaginings no amount of explicit goings on could replace. Silence is held as tension builds and builds and at the moment perfect Erich turns and exits.
It is set towards the beginning of the 20th century at a time when the world was convulsed with KIngs and Queens and those that profited thereby fighting off change; when Nationalism had poisoned the minds of millions; when revolution and world war had laid waste a generation of European men.
The film is, I suppose a love story but it has as ONE major theme among a number the conflict between the world of men and the world of women - not just reason versus feeling but the whole panoply of honour, action, pride, duty, patriotism, class that bedevils many men and which blinds them to life.
I must add, that the final moments of the film, will remain with me forever. Without disclosing that ending, the final moments include a train, filled with soldiers trundling off in to the rest of the 20th century - and what havoc it did wreak!
But to conclude - there is, to use a cliche, something for many different types of movie goer to find in this film - man against man, violence, love, jealousy, the encroachment of change, idealism, politics, war - read at a simple or complex level. One fascinating journey is Sophie's, which in itself, is a rich one.
A brilliant film.

Great film but may require some knowledge of the region to fully understand.......2006-02-04

My wife and I rented this film a year or so ago. Its an an absolutely haunting and beautiful film. Highly recommend it.

To the reviewer who wants to know why the Germans were there; most of the Baltic States (Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania) had large german populatiosn (most cities had German speaking majorities). In fact cities like Memel(Klapadia) and Riga were founded by Germans in the 1200 and 1300's under control of the Teutonic Knights. Even when muh of the area came under the Tsar's rule, the elite of the region remained the German noble and aristocrats. This film depicts the beginning of the end of this era after WWI when these areas gained independence from Russia. It came to a much sadder and bloodier end at the end of WWII when most Germans were expelled or murdered by the Soviets.

"Perhaps I like lost causes.".......2006-01-09

German director Volker Schlondorff has a knack for realism when recreating almost forgotten slices of history. The film "Le Coup de Grace" based on the novel by Marguerite Yourcenar, is set in the Baltic States between the years 1919-20. WWI may be over, but the fighting continues for the Prussians and the Bolsheviks. When the story begins, Prussian officer Konrad de Reval (Rudiger Kirschstein) returns to Kratovice--the family castle in Latvia--accompanied by fellow soldier Erich von Lhomond (Matthias Habich). The castle serves as the ex-facto headquarters and stronghold for the Prussian army in the region, and Konrad's sister, Countess Sophie de Reval (Margarethe von Trotta--director Schlondorff's wife) lives there with an elderly aunt and various servants.

Sophie is immediately attracted to Erich, and while he initially encourages her attentions, he ultimately rejects her--claiming he prefers brief relationships with servants and prostitutes. Sophie accuses Konrad of being "incapable of passion", and tells him "you cling so tightly to life." Once rejected, Sophie engages in a series of self-destructive affairs with the accessible pool of various other officers stationed at the castle. Sophie's flagrant flaunting of her affairs under Erich's nose makes a joke out of his stiff personality and his attempts to impose disciple. It's an unhealthy situation resulting in petty rivalries, jealous scenes and ultimately--betrayal. But is Sophie motivated by Erich's rejection or by her sympathy and relationships with Bolsheviks?

"Le Coup de Grace" is--simply put--mesmerizing. All the repressed passion between Sophie and Erich is set against the bleak, frozen landscape. In contrast to the bleak terrain, the characters try to forget that death surrounds them by living in the moment--organizing parties, dancing and gathering mistletoe. One scene shows a line of soldiers trudging through the snow, and the next shot shows the same empty landscape--without the soldiers. This scene is the essence of this marvelous film--a final glimpse at the dying embers of the world of Teutonic knights. Criterion DVD extras include an extensive interview von Trotta and Schlondorff. "Le Coup de Grace" is in German with English subtitles--displacedhuman

a really nice film........2004-11-29

This review is for the Criterion Collection DVD edition of the film.

Known in France as "Coup De Grace" (Death-Blow) and in Germany as "Der Fangschuß" (The Catch Shot).. this is a remarkable film. Filmed in 1976 in Black and White, it has some great scenes.

It follows the story of a Baltic woman who falls in love with a Prussian soldier in the late 1910's. When she is jilted by him, she becomes very depressed and joins the Bolsheviks.

The film has some great scenery and they do a very good job at imitating the landscape as it was like almost 60 years earlier. and the fact it is in B&W gives a good nostalgic touch to it.

Unfortunately, the only special feature is an interview with the dierctor and screenwriter/actress. Volker Schlöndorff and Margarethe von Trotta, respectively.

Still, it is a nice film one that will be enjoyed by quite a few people.

Complex tale of love and war.......2003-11-13

Le Coup de Grace takes us to Latvia after World War I. A small force of German soldiers is attempting to hold a village against partisans of the Russian Revolution. At the center of the story is a German countess, Sophie, and her family. Sophie is deeply in love with a German officer, Erich, who spurns her advances. Erich appears conflicted sexually, but we must make inferences about his deepseated confusion about who he is and what he wants.

Sophie's frustration over her inability to interest Erich in her as a lover prompts her to develop casual sexual relationships with other members of the German officer corps. Erich has contempt for Sophie and actually slaps her at a Christmas party when she becomes too familiar with a fellow officer. Viewers are unlikely to see a more complicated love story than Le Coup de Grace. Without giving away the ending, the title of the film describes well both the end of the war for the Germans and the end of the affair of Sophie and Erich.

The war between the Germans and Russian partisans is as confusing as the love story of Sophie and Erich. We are never told why the Germans are in this small village in Latvia and we are never certain who the enemy is, other than Russian communist partisans. The actual battle sequences are confusing, as is perhaps appropriate in a partisan operation. We do know that the Germans are finally ordered to leave Latvia and it is at the end of the film that the most graphic battle sequences take place.

Le Coup de Grace was filmed in black and white and this seems appropriate for this dark and somber tragedy. The performances are uniformly excellent, particulary Sophie, played by Margarethe von Trotta. The director, Volker Schlondorff seemed unable to coordinate the action in this complex story. Additionally, the pace is often painfully slow. If that was Schlondorff's intention, he has succeeded. I recommend this film with the reservations noted.

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