Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Novembermond" or "November Moon" is a West German / French German-language movie from 1985, so this one is already over 30 years old. It runs for 105 minutes and is probably the most known work by writer and director Alexandra von Grote, who focused more on novel writing than making films since then. The cast does not include many known actors, not even for German film buffs. Olschewski may be the most known and I have to admit I am not familiar at all with the female leads. This is the story of two women falling in love during the years of Nazi Germany. And as if this isn't bad enough already in the face of the perception of homosexuality back then, one of them is also a Jew. So now things have really hit rock-bottom. sadly, the film does not really deliver on this truly baity story line and plot as the attention to detail when it comes to the writing and the acting also are not really on par. The script sticks to including somewhat forgettable sob stories and depicting Nazis as either cruel and merciless rapists or as people who do not really believe in the ideals, but had no chance to escape the machine either and are emotionally tormented as such. So yes the movie is a lot about dramatic tragedy, but most of it does not feel too realistic, let alone authentic. Maybe you have heard of the film "Aimée & Jaguar" that deals with the same subject, but that one is way more famous than this one here, probably also because of the Golden Globe nomination. So if you liked that one, then this one here is perhaps worth checking out. But don't expect any greatness or anything. I personally did not feel as if this one we have here stands out for any reason from the hundreds of Nazi/WWII films out there. Really forgettable and I cannot deny the film also had some lengths. Strangely enough it was at its most bearable when focusing more on the time and setting than focusing on the romance aspect and with this runtime, there are also enough scenes like that. I somehow found the supporting characters slightly more interesting than the central characters, so it fits the way the cast is listed here on IMDb. But none of the aspects were really good enough to get me on the edge of my seat. I suggest you watch something else instead.
