Die Wahlverwandtschaften

Short Summary (English)

During the Napoleonic wars, Baron Eduard and his wife, Charlotte, choose to live in the islandlike seclusion of an old inherited country estate. Whereas Charlotte quite enjoys this reclusive existence, her husband, however, feels as if he has fallen into a vacuum. In order to offset his feelings of loneliness, Baron Eduard decides to invite his friend, a military captain, to visit him on his country estate. Charlotte also invites her foster daughter; Ottilie, who has previously been attending a boarding school.

Eduard and Ottilie, as if bewitched, are strongly attracted to each other. And also the captain and Charlotte feel much more for each other than mere sympathy. Soon the four parties lay their cards on the table. But whereas Ottilie's confession of her love for the Baron inspires Eduard to re-plan his life in new and grand terms, Charlotte cannot free herself from the dictates of social conventions and she therefore forsakes her feelings for the captain. Eduard is called to serve in the war; but before he goes, he vows that if he should survive, he will marry Ottilie.

After Charlotte gives birth to Eduard's baby, Ottilie makes a final and steadfast decision: not to have anything to do anymore with her beloved Eduard. However, after Eduard returns from the war, Ottilie becomes so enchanted by his passion for her that she spontaneously changes her former decision. But alas, it proves to be too late for Eduard and Ottilie: through an unfortunate mishap, caused by Ottilie, Charlotte and Eduard's newborn baby drowns in a river. Then Ottilie, without a trace, leaves the Baron's estate and remains forever lost.

Source: Progress Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Siegfried Kühn

Script

• Siegfried Kühn
• Regine Kühn

Scenario

• Regine Kühn

Camera

• Claus Neumann

Film Editing

• Renate Bade
• Helga Krause

Cast

• Beata Tyszkiewicz (Charlotte)
• Hilmar Thate (Eduard)
• Magda Vášáryová (auch: Vášáry) (Ottilie)
• Gerry Wolff (Hauptmann)
• Horst Schulze (geb. 1921) (Mittler)
• Christine Schorn (Baronesse)
• Volkmar Kleinert (Graf)
• Nico Turoff (Gärtner)
• Jana Plichtová (Luciane)
• Jost Braun (Architekt)
• Karl-Ernst Sasse (Klavierspieler)
• Claus Dobberke (Verlobter)
• Dieter Birr (Maurergeselle)
• Christian Grashof (Spaßmacher)
• Egon Brennecke (Verlobungsgast)
• Udine Schuppelius (Verlobungsgast)

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Assistant Director

• Ilse Bastubbe

Assistant Camera

• Klaus Goldmann
• Frank Bredow

Production Design

• Reinhart Zimmermann
• Richard Schmidt

Script Editing

• Christel Gräf

Music

• Karl-Ernst Sasse
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Kammermusik)

Sound

• Peter Dienst
• Gerhard Ribbeck

Musical Performance

• Karl Suske Quartett (Musikgruppe)

Costume Design

• Eva Sickert

Make-Up

• Heinz Kosse

Production Management

• Bernd Gerwien

Unit Production Management

• Manfred Peetz
• Fritz Frost
• Ellen Götze

Consulting

• Hans-Jürgen Geerdts

DEFA Photography

• Klaus Goldmann

Dubbing (Dubbing Actor)

• Lissy Tempelhof (Charlotte)
• Katharina Thalbach (Ottilie)

Short Summary (German)

Während der napoleonischen Kriege zieht sich das adlige Ehepaar Eduard und Charlotte auf ein altes Schloss zurück, um dort isoliert von der Außenwelt ganz ihre Liebe zu leben. Eduard aber erträgt schon nach kurzer Zeit das unproduktive Dasein nicht mehr. Er lädt seinen Freund ein, einen Hauptmann. Charlotte holt ihre Pflegetochter Ottilie aus dem Pensionat. Eduard verliebt sich in Ottilie und entwickelt neue Aktivitäten, seine Frau fühlt sich zum Hauptmann hingezogen. Ottilie und Eduard bekennen sich zueinander, während Charlotte aus moralischen Gründen an ihrer Ehe festhalten will. Der enttäuschte Eduard zieht in den Krieg. Charlotte bringt ein Kind zur Welt, woraufhin Ottilie bereit ist, auf Eduard zu verzichten. Als er zurückkommt, sind die Vorsätze vergessen. Durch beider Schuld verunglückt das Kind tödlich. Nun willigt Charlotte in die Scheidung ein, aber Ottilie verlässt das Schloss und bleibt unauffindbar.

(Quelle: Das zweite Leben der Filmstadt Babelsberg. DEFA-Spielfilme 1946-1992)

Short Summary (Other Languages)

Durante le guerre napoleoniche Edoardo e Carlotta si ritirano in un antico castello per vivere serenamente il proprio amore. Stanco di questa vita improduttiva, Edoardo invita un suo amico capitano, mentre Carlotta porta alla tenuta Ottilia, la giovane orfana che ama come fosse sua figlia. Edoardo s'innamora di Ottilia e sua moglia del capitano. Mentre i primi due si dichiarano il proprio amore, Carlotta preferisce restare fedele a suo marito. Deluso, Edoardo parte per la guerra. Carlotta mette al mondo un figlio e Ottilia sembra disposta a rinunciare a è disposta a rinunciare a Edoardo, ma il suo rientro manda a monte i buoni propositi. Una negligenza di entrambi stronca precocemente la vita del piccolo. A questo punto Carlotta acconsente al divorzio, ma Ottilia abbandona il castello scomparendo per sempre. (Italienisch)