Movies and Films
This is the forum for Movie and Film discussions. Again, our topic is naval warfare in WWII for the most part.
Re: Der Alte's Character
Posted by:
Meg Rosenfeld
()
Date: February 03, 2007 06:02PM
Hello Barry,
Likewise! How've you been? The beard does add a certain raffish charm. I'm partial to bearded men myself, as Larry has had one during most of the 43 years we've known each other. Our daughter, now nearing 30, has never seen her father's chin!
In all his appearances in Buchheim's writing, Lehmann-Willenbrock sniffles and snorts; he must have had sinus trouble, or maybe an allergy to the dank conditions of the U-Boot--no wonder. He also fiddles interminably with his pipe, even inside the boat, where of course he couldn't light it. I don't know why this wasn't included in the movie; maybe it wouldn't have meant just too much extraneous business. HLW also was remarkable for looking rather scruffy. His focus was on running the boat, not on living up to the dress code; JP's portrayal certainly shows this aspect of the commander's personality!
I always think it's an absolute miracle that LGB was pleased with ANYONE'S portrayal of HLW. That he thought so highly of JP's means that he (JP) is therefore capable of performing miracles (in both sense of the word "performing") and is REALLY wasting his excellent talent in all the crummy movies he's made since then!
I'd also venture to say that Klaus Wennemann's portrayal of the LI was uncannily good, judging by all descriptions of Fritz Grade's nervous mannerisms and ability to wriggle through the boat's "innards" like a weasel: "wieselflink", "as supple as a weasel", is a term LGB uses several times about the LI. In this case, the physical resemblance was remarkable as well.
The only casting decision which really irked Buchheim was that of his own character--he resented being a blond, among other things! Interestingly, in his own version of the filmscript (which was rejected) there is NO Buchheim character at all.
Well, that's enough out of me, as the seasick sailor remarked.
Liebe Grüße,
Meg
Likewise! How've you been? The beard does add a certain raffish charm. I'm partial to bearded men myself, as Larry has had one during most of the 43 years we've known each other. Our daughter, now nearing 30, has never seen her father's chin!
In all his appearances in Buchheim's writing, Lehmann-Willenbrock sniffles and snorts; he must have had sinus trouble, or maybe an allergy to the dank conditions of the U-Boot--no wonder. He also fiddles interminably with his pipe, even inside the boat, where of course he couldn't light it. I don't know why this wasn't included in the movie; maybe it wouldn't have meant just too much extraneous business. HLW also was remarkable for looking rather scruffy. His focus was on running the boat, not on living up to the dress code; JP's portrayal certainly shows this aspect of the commander's personality!
I always think it's an absolute miracle that LGB was pleased with ANYONE'S portrayal of HLW. That he thought so highly of JP's means that he (JP) is therefore capable of performing miracles (in both sense of the word "performing") and is REALLY wasting his excellent talent in all the crummy movies he's made since then!
I'd also venture to say that Klaus Wennemann's portrayal of the LI was uncannily good, judging by all descriptions of Fritz Grade's nervous mannerisms and ability to wriggle through the boat's "innards" like a weasel: "wieselflink", "as supple as a weasel", is a term LGB uses several times about the LI. In this case, the physical resemblance was remarkable as well.
The only casting decision which really irked Buchheim was that of his own character--he resented being a blond, among other things! Interestingly, in his own version of the filmscript (which was rejected) there is NO Buchheim character at all.
Well, that's enough out of me, as the seasick sailor remarked.
Liebe Grüße,
Meg
