Martha and I

views updated

Martha and I ★★★ 1991

In 1934 Czechoslovakia, distinguished Jewish doctor Ernest Paul Fuchs (Piccoli), having divorced his unfaithful wife, impulsively marries his lower-class gentile German maid Martha (Sagebrecht). What turns out to be a true love match is witnessed through the adolescent eyes of nephew Emil (Chalupa), who comes to live with the couple. With the rise of Nazism and increased Jewish persecution the devoted Martha begins to fear for her husband and makes a futile attempt to find a safe haven. Stirring drama based on the director's childhood (he's the semi-fictionalized Emil). German with subtitles. 107m/C VHS . GE Marianne Saegebrecht, Michel Piccoli, Vaclov Chalupa, Ondrej Vetchy; D: Jiri Weiss; W: Jiri Weiss; C: Viktor Ruzicka; M: Jiri Stivin.