Le Coup de Grace - Criterion Collection

Rating:
Summary: Complex tale of love and war
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: Complex tale of love and war
Review: 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.

Rating:
Summary: a really nice film.
Review: 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.