''Life Begins at Eight'' (German: ''Das Leben beginnt um acht'') is a 1962 West German

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Michael Kehlmann and starring O.E. Hasse, Johanna Matz and Helmut Wildt. It is an adaptation of the 1940 play '' The Light of Heart'' by

Emlyn Williams George Emlyn Williams, CBE (26 November 1905 – 25 September 1987) was a Welsh writer, dramatist and actor. Early life Williams was born into a Welsh-speaking, working class family at 1 Jones Terrace, Pen-y-ffordd, Ffynnongroyw, Flintshi ...

, previously adapted into a 1942 Hollywood film '' Life Begins at Eight-Thirty''.Goble p.838 The action is moved from the play's setting of London to Berlin. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Hans Berthel Hans Berthel (1914 2003) was a German art director active in the West German film industry.Lucanio & Coville p.223 During the Second World War he served in the Luftwaffe, spending time as a prisoner of war in Canada Canada is a count ...

and

Johannes Ott Johannes Ott (1919–1995) was a German art director known for his work in the Cinema of Germany, country's film industry. In the early stages of his career he collaborated frequently with the veteran set designer Erich Kettelhut.Kalat p.129 Sel ...

. Completed in late 1961, it premiered at the

Marmorhaus The Marmorhaus (English: Marble House) was a movie theater, cinema that used to be located on the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin. Opened in 1913, it takes its name from a large marble façade. Designed by the architect Hugo Pál, the walls of the foyer ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

early in the New Year.

Synopsis

A former stage star, struggling with the decline of his career and a drinking problem, lives with his daughter Cattrin. A young composer falls in love with her and manages to secure her father some work. However his demons ultimately overwhelm him and he commits suicide, freeing his daughter to live her own life.

Cast

* O.E. Hasse as Mac Thomas * Johanna Matz as Cattrin, seine Tochter * Helmut Wildt as Robert Hauser * Gudrun Thielemann as Fanny Ehrenwirth * Gundel Thormann as Emily Lawrence *

Walter Buschhoff Walter Buschhoff (1923–2010) was a German stage, film and television actor.Goble p.462 He was married to the actress Maria Körber. Selected filmography * ''IA in Oberbayern'' (1956) - Dr. Hans von Spörling * ''Heiße Ernte'' (1956) - Oskar ...

as Willibald Barthels * Eva Crüwell as Susanne Wenk * Fritz Rémond Jr. as Frenkel, Manager * Hans Schwarz Jr. as Charly *

Erna Sellmer Erna Elisabeth Dorothea Sellmer (19 June 1905 – 13 May 1983) was a German film actress. She was best known in the English-speaking world for her role as housekeeper Frau Gerber in the 1970s Swiss-Canadian television series '' George'' about a ...

as Frau Banner * Walter Tarrach as Dr. Stadtländer * Gerd Vespermann as Gerber, Garderobier * Stefan Wigger as Eberhard Bezel, Polizist *

Lissy Arna Lissy Arna (born Elisabeth Arndt, 20 December 1900 – 22 January 1964) was a German film actress. She appeared in 63 films between 1918 and 1962. She starred in the 1931 film '' The Squeaker'', which was directed by Martin Frič and Karel L ...

* Ursula Diestel * Edith Elsholtz * Hans Epskamp * Richard Handwerk * Harald Holberg * Günther Stopnik * Max Strassberg * Achim Strietzel *

Egon Vogel Egon Vogel (1908–1993) was a German stage, television and film actor.Giesen p.190 A character actor he amassed over a hundred credits during his career, some of them in minor parts. Selected filmography Film * ''Boccaccio'' (1936) * '' The Deru ...

* Lilo Zabke

References

Bibliography

* Bock, Hans-Michael & Bergfelder, Tim. ''The Concise CineGraph. Encyclopedia of German Cinema''. Berghahn Books, 2009. * Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.

External links

* 1962 films West German films German drama films 1962 drama films 1960s German-language films Films directed by Michael Kehlmann Films set in Berlin Films about actors German films based on plays Remakes of American films UFA GmbH films 1960s German films Films scored by Peter Sandloff {{1960s-Germany-film-stub