Aimée & Jaguar (1999)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Max Färberböck

Writers:

Max Färberböck (writer)
Rona Munro (writer)

Release Date:

11 February 1999 (Germany)

Genre:

Romance | Drama | War

Tagline:

A Love Larger Than Death

Plot:

Berlin 1943/44 ("The Battle of Berlin"). Felice, an intelligent and courageous Jewish woman who lives under a false name...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Gestapo | Jewish | Unfaithful Wife | Bombing

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 9 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Maria Schrader	...	Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar)
Juliane Köhler	...	Lilly Wust (Aimée)
Johanna Wokalek	...	Ilse
Heike Makatsch	...	Klärchen
Elisabeth Degen	...	Lotte
Detlev Buck	...	Günther Wust
Inge Keller	...	Lilly Wust (1997)
Kyra Mladeck	...	Ilse (1997)
Sarah Camp	...	Frau Kappler
Klaus Manchen	...	Herr Kappler
Margit Bendokat	...	Frau Jäger
Jochen Stern	...	Werner Lause
Peter Weck	...	Chefredakteur Keller
Lia Dultzkaya	...	Hulda
Dani Levy	...	Fritz Borchert
Hans-Christoph Blumenberg	...	Fotograf Schmidt (as H.C. Blumenberg)
Rüdiger Hacker	...	Ernst Biermösel
Rosel Zech	...	Blonde Frau
Ulrich Matthes	...	Eckert (SS)
Dorkas Kiefer	...	Tanja
Désirée Nick	...	Erika (Die Freundinnen / The Girlfriends)
Patrizia Moresco	...	Maria (Die Freundinnen / The Girlfriends)
Karen Friesicke	...	Marlene (Die Freundinnen / The Girlfriends)
Felix Bold	...	Bernd (Die Kinder Wust / Children Wust)
Jake Steinfeld	...	Eberhard (Die Kinder Wust / Children Wust)
Yannick Richter	...	Reinhard (Die Kinder Wust / Children Wust)
Henrik Meng	...	Albrecht (Die Kinder Wust / Children Wust)
Bastian Trost	...	Leutnant
Klaus Koennecke	...	Herr Ude
Barbara Focke	...	Frau Ude
Gabriele Schulze	...	Mieterin / Tenant
Falk Baumhauer	...	deren Sohn / her Son
Ludwig Boettger	...	Makler / Broker
Wolfgang Woytt	...	Alter Mann / Old Man
Werner Rehm	...	Dirigent / Conductor
Marc Bischoff	...	Chauffeur Sepp
Karoline Siewinska	...	Mädchen mit Mütze / Girl with Cap
Jerzy Milton	...	Azron
Marta Lachova	...	Ruth
Rebekka Flemming	...	Frau Blockwart
Peer Jäger	...	Herr Pohl
Anette Felber	...	Frau Pohl
Helmut Ehmig	...	Ober / Waiter
Klaus Schindler	...	Beamter 1 / Civil Servant #1
Christoph Jacobi	...	Beamter 2 / Civil Servant #2
Margritta Heyn	...	Frau mit Brille / Woman with Glasses
Klaus Hoser	...	Konzertbesucher / Man at Concert
Heinz Trixner	...	Kleinert
Dorothea Moritz	...	Rotkreuzschwester / Red Cross Nurse
Carl Heinz Choynski	...	Brummer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Zimmermann	...	Reichspolizist
Christiane Passoth	...	(uncredited)
Sabrina Schaumburg	...	Gast (uncredited)

Directed by
Max Färberböck

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Max Färberböck		writer
Rona Munro		writer

Produced by
Hanno Huth	....	producer
Feliks Pastusiak	....	line producer: Wroclaw unit
Günter Rohrbach	....	producer
Lew Rywin	....	executive producer: Wroclaw unit
Stefaan Schieder	....	line producer
Gerhard von Halem	....	supervising producer

Original Music by
Jan A.P. Kaczmarek

Cinematography by
Tony Imi

Film Editing by
Barbara Hennings

Casting by
Risa Kes

Production Design by
Albrecht Konrad

Art Direction by
Uli Hanisch

Set Decoration by
Katja Schmidt

Costume Design by
Barbara Baum

Makeup Department
Horst Allert	....	makeup artist
Gabriele Hahn-Laue	....	additional makeup artist
Alina Janerka	....	makeup intern: Wroclaw unit
Zygmunt Kazmierski	....	hair stylist: Wroclaw unit
Gerlinde Kunz	....	key makeup artist
Ana Mijjan	....	makeup trainee
Gerhard Nemetz	....	makeup artist
Karin Otto	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Jerzy Frykowski	....	production manager: Wroclaw unit
Steffi Hiller	....	executive in charge of production
Zenona Kielanowska	....	executive in charge of production: Wroclaw
Mathias Schwerbrock	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anette Böck	....	third assistant director
Tanja Däberitz	....	second assistant director
Mariusz Gawrys	....	second assistant director: Wroclaw
Zbigniew Macków	....	third assistant director: Wroclaw unit
Eva-Maria Schönecker	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Uwe Belke	....	carpenter
Michael Bernardy	....	carpenter
Michael Böttger	....	carpenter
Uwe Brauer	....	painter
Mieke Casal	....	painter
Robert Czesak	....	assistant production designer: Wroclaw
George Dean	....	key painter
Klaus Eckmann	....	set dresser
Michael Fechner	....	property manager
Biber Gullatz	....	scenic composer
Andrzej Halinski	....	production designer: Wroclaw
Christian Hill	....	set designer
Stefan Isfort	....	prop buyer
Andrea Kessler	....	stand-by propwoman
Stephan Lambert	....	set carpenter
Uli Langenberg	....	construction foreman
Eckes Malz	....	scenic composer
Joachim Monninger	....	construction supervisor
Sylvia Müller	....	assistant set decorator
Elei Noack	....	assistant set decorator
Achim Volkenannt	....	assistant stand-by propman
Dagmar Wessel	....	set dresser
Piotr Wilczynski	....	prop buyer: Wroclaw
Sarath Zander	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Hubert Bartholomae	....	sound designer
Markus Braack	....	dubbing sound
Friedrich M. Dosch	....	sound designer
André König	....	dubbing sound
Michael Kranz	....	sound mixer
Pit Kuhlmann	....	foley editor
Andreas Musolff	....	sound effects editor
Andreas Musolff	....	sound re-recordist
Jörn Poetzl	....	sound editor
Thomas Rancka	....	dubbing sound
Wolfgang Rene	....	assistant sound
Benjamin Schubert	....	sound
Sylvana Zafosnik-Jakob	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Harrie Wiessenhaan	....	special effects (as Harry Wiessenhaan)
Roland Goddijn	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Ute Freund	....	visual effects cinematographer
Ralf Gärtner	....	visual effects miniatures
Reno Gouw	....	visual effects cinematographer
Joachim Grüninger	....	motion control
Christian Jütte	....	visual effects miniatures
Morton McAdams	....	visual effects producer
Andreas Mottjat	....	visual effects designer
Roland Nethe	....	opticals
Kathrin Samuel	....	visual effects miniatures
Frank Schlegel	....	visual effects supervisor
Ursula Steinwedel	....	visual effects miniatures
Hubert von Seidlein	....	matte painter
Simon Weisse	....	visual effects miniatures

Camera and Electrical Department
Patrick de Ranter	....	Steadicam operator
Nikolai Eberth	....	video operator
Frank Ehlers	....	key rigging grip
Christian Georges	....	lighting technician
Paul Godfrey	....	camera operator
David Hall	....	focus puller
Simone Hartmann	....	key grip
Ingo Hilden	....	dolly grip trainee
Jan Hoffmann	....	key grip
Emil Jevtic	....	lighting technician
Daniel Koppelkamm	....	Steadicam operator
Bernd Mayer	....	dolly grip
Jürgen Meissner	....	lighting technician
Andreas Mulzer	....	assistant dolly grip
Jürgen Olczyk	....	still photographer
Chris Pinnock	....	focus puller
Thomas Schulz	....	gaffer
Gilmar Steinig	....	best boy
Ali Tramantin	....	Steadicam operator
Jörg Widmer	....	Steadicam operator
Andreas Hulzer	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cornelia Partmann	....	extras casting: Berlin
Verena Pauli	....	casting: children
Antje Schneider	....	extras casting: NRW
Maria Schwarz	....	casting: children

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sabine Böbbis	....	wardrober
Constanze Donath	....	wardrobe (as Konstanze Donath)
Martina Geddicke	....	wardrober
Kornelia Luckow	....	additional wardrober
Halina Luniewska	....	wardrober: Wroclaw
Sibylle Möbius	....	assistant costume designer
Barbara Neubauer	....	tailor
Malgorzata Stypulkowska	....	assistant costume designer: Wroclaw
Bärbel Wendling	....	wardrobe trainee

Editorial Department
Dieter Eggers	....	color timer
Ann-Sophie Schweizer	....	first assistant editor: B.F.S.
Bernd Thiele	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Golub	....	orchestrator
Biber Gullatz	....	music consultant
Jan A.P. Kaczmarek	....	music producer
Tadeusz Karolak	....	conductor: Polish Radio Orchestra
Christopher Kennedy	....	music editor
Pawel Losakiewicz	....	musician: solo violin
Eckes Malz	....	music consultant
Rafal Paczkowski	....	music mixer
Rafal Paczkowski	....	music recordist
Zbigniew Zbrowski	....	orchestra contractor

Transportation Department
Dirk Becker	....	additional driver
Maurus Blank	....	additional driver
Andreas Dennert	....	driver: construction department
Ana Filipovic	....	driver: costumes
Nikolaus Holzhauser	....	property driver
Mark Nolting	....	production driver
Stefan Schauerte	....	additional driver
Rudi Schulik	....	driver: makeup bus
Jimmy Sheridan	....	additional driver
Ulrike Stecker	....	property driver
Sebastian Wurm	....	additional driver
Frank Zimmermann	....	additional driver

Other crew
Maren Ade	....	production trainee
Jürgen Andermann	....	traffic blocker
Regine Baschny	....	production press
Markus Brinkmann	....	first location manager
Krystyna Chodala	....	accountant: Wroclaw
Nina Cvetkovic	....	stand-in
Maja Drzewiecka	....	first location manager: Wroclaw
Chris Evert	....	first location manager
Jens-Yorck Fischer	....	laboratory contact
Andrea Gentz	....	liaison: "Berliner Bär"
Marie Therese Hamacher	....	caterer
Donna Hanisch	....	font designer
Wolfgang Hantke	....	production consultant: pre-production
Mieczyslaw Janowski	....	second location manager: Wroclaw
Józef Jarosz	....	production coordinator: Wroclaw (as Jozef Jarosz)
Jürgen Joppen	....	first location manager
Sven Kelle	....	second location manager
Kai Koch	....	font designer
Hermann Koenen	....	caterer
Sascha Koszinowski	....	second location manager
Monika Krück	....	production secretary
Malgorzata Kubiak	....	translator: Wroclaw
Krzysztof Kula	....	assistant prop buyer: Wroclaw
Petra Küstner	....	children carer
Udo Lenz	....	caterer
Suse Marquardt	....	production trainee
Dorothee McNally	....	production coordinator
Frank Meter	....	location scout: NRW
Roland Nethe	....	title designer
Kirsten Niehuus	....	legal consultant
Konrad Orlowska	....	toy crafts: Wroclaw
Antje Paul Leinberger	....	assistant executive in charge of production (as Antje Paul)
Jolanka Pawlowska	....	production secretary: Wroclaw
Jörg Reinke	....	executive in charge of production trainee
Frank Salmon	....	production assistant
Olimpia Scardi	....	choreographer
Maria Sobecki-Grimm	....	caterer
Stefan Thalhaus	....	choreographer
Peter Urbaniak	....	stuccoer
Caroline Veyssière	....	continuity
Michael Weckler	....	dubbing director
Anke Zindler	....	production press
Steffi Hiller	....	key accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Senator Film Produktion

Distributors

• Senator Film (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (1999) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Antiprod (2005) (France) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2005-2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Mongrel Media (Canada)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Zeitgeist Films (2000) (USA) (subtitled)

Special Effects

• Future Effects (visual effects)
• MagicMove GmbH (motion control)

Other Companies

• A. Huber & Co  film insurance
• AFT Applied Film Theory  cranes
• AV-Produktion, Hamburg  dubbing studio
• Bavaria Tonstudios  sound mixed at
• Bloc  stoppage service
• Bundesministerium des Inneren (BMI)  funding
• Cine Equipment Köln  editing facility
• Cine Licht Camera Rental GmbH  additional lighting: Berlin
• Cinerent, Berlin  additional equipment
• Creartiv  children's casting
• Deutsches Rundfunkarchiv Babelsberg  historical sound material
• FGV Schmidle GmbH  camera equipment provided by
• Fake Film Construction  set construction
• FilmFernsehFonds Bayern  funding
• Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg (FBB)  funding
• Filmförderung Hamburg  funding
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA)  funding
• Filmservice Biener  make-up bus
• Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen  funding
• Hans Lehrke, Berlin  editing facility
• Heritage Films  production executives: wroclaw unit
• Just Publicity  production press
• Ledl-Film-Service  film transports
• Maier Bros Cologne  lighting equipment
• Maier Bros Cologne  stage equipment
• Moviecode  film marking
• Polish Radio Studios, The  music recorded at
• Room Organisation Service Julian Bienert  accomodations
• Sender Freies Berlin (SFB)  historical sound material
• Solid Sound  foley recorded at
• Solid Sound  sound edited at
• Studio Buffo  music recorded at
• Studio Funk  dubbing studio
• The Polish Radio Orchestra  orchestra
• Theaterkunst Angels & Bermans  costume provided by
• Transportvermittlung Niedenhoff  film transports
• Young Actors  children's casting
• Zeise Hallen, Hamburg  editing facility

Also Known As:

Aimee & Jaguar (USA)
Aimee and Jaguar (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Denmark:11 | Germany:12 (bw) | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:18 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Everest Studio, Cologne, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Senator Film Produktion

Trivia:

Germany's entry to the Academy Awards, in the category of Best Foreign Language Film (1999).

Quotes:

Ilse: What does she have that I don't have?
Felice: Nothing, absolutely nothing. She isn't better or worse than any of us.
Ilse: How can you say that? How?
[beat]
Ilse: Has she risked her life? Would she lie and steal and fight for you? Do you think she'd take risks my father takes? She has no idea what it's like listening to every idiot who comes up the stairs. But you know how it is, Felice. Your behaviour makes me sick!
Felice: [long beat] So send me a bill.
Ilse: [beat] I'm sorry.
Felice: What for? You're right.
[beat]
Felice: "God created the world, Felice. You didn't" That's what my father always said to me. My sister, my mother... they all agreed "Felice is crazy". And do you know why? Because for me nothing can be taken for granted. No God. No car that picks me up, no Ilse to help me, and no "thank you" I have to tell her every day. You want something special, Ilse. And I'm not.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Unfaithful (2002)

Soundtrack:

Für Immer Und Immer

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