Josef Bierbichler

Farewell. The: BrechtS Last Summer [Jan Schütte] Josef Bierbichler

In this swirling German drama about the renowned playwright Bertolt Brecht (Josef Bierbichler), director Jan Schutte paints a picture of a man torn by romantic predicaments and artistic decisions. Set in 1956, the same year that Brecht died, THE FAREWELL transpires one summer day, three days before his death, as the 58-year-old writer prepares to return to East Berlin after vacationing at his country home. In the yard, burning a bonfire, is Brecht's dour daughter, Barbara (Birgitt Minichmayr), who mischievously destroys her father's favorite hat. Meanwhile, Brecht's wife, Helene Wiegel (Monica Bleibtreu), knows that upon her husband's return to Berlin his friends, political radicals Wolfgang Harich and Isot Kilian (Rena Zednikowa)--one of Brecht's many lovers--will be arrested for treason. However, on the day that THE FAREWELL unfolds, this event is far from the minds of the colorful characters who inhabit Brecht's house. One of his lovers, Kathe Riechel (Jeanette Hain) is an attractive actress who lets him walk all over her, while former mistress Ruth Berlau (Margit Rogall) looks on, acting terribly upset at losing him. Drinks flow as freely as harsh words, and the tension and raw emotion of the odd, but artistic, household becomes a metaphor for Germany's decaying government. Bright and bold performances by a talented cast add texture to the prickly plot, making director Jan Shutte's film a unique viewing pleasure.