''o.k.'', sometimes spelled O.K., is a 1970 West German

anti-war film An anti-war film is a sub-genre of war film that is opposed to warfare in its theming or messaging. Characteristics Anti-war films typically argue that war is futile, unjust, a loss for all involved, only serves to benefit few in society (us ...

written and directed by

Michael Verhoeven Michael Alexander Verhoeven (13 July 1938 – 22 April 2024) was a German film director, screenwriter, film and television producer, and actor. He was also a qualified Doctor of Medicine. He was considered a political filmmaker. Biography Mic ...

. It was chosen as West Germany's official submission to the

43rd Academy Awards The 43rd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, was held on April 15, 1971, and took place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion to honor the best films of 1970. The Awards, without a host for the third ...

for Best Foreign Language Film, but did not receive a nomination. The film was also entered into the

20th Berlin International Film Festival The 20th annual Berlin International Film Festival, usually called the Berlinale, was opened on 26 June 1970 with French-Belgian film '' Klann – grand guignol'' by Patrick Ledoux and scheduled to end on 7 July. However, on 5 July the competit ...

. However, the competition was cancelled and no prizes were awarded, over controversy surrounding the film.

Plot

A four-man US

fireteam A fireteam or fire team is a small modern warfare, modern military sub-subunit, subordinated element of infantry designed to optimize "Non-commissioned officer, NCO initiative", "combined arms", "bounding overwatch" and "fire and movement" mi ...

on patrol seizes a passing young

Vietnamese Vietnamese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Vietnam, a country in Southeast Asia * Vietnamese people, or Kinh people, a Southeast Asian ethnic group native to Vietnam ** Overseas Vietnamese, Vietnamese people living outside Vietna ...

girl and continues to torture and kill her. Only one soldier refuses to take part in it and reports this incident to his superior, who dismisses it as simple wartime incident. As a consequence of his report, the soldier has to fear for his life. Later, the perpetrators are convicted, although subsequent appeals reduce their sentences significantly. The events take place in a Bavarian forest and depict the 1966 Incident on Hill 192 during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

. The soldiers wear US uniforms and have authentic names, but speak with a pronounced Bavarian accent—a conscious directing decision known as the Brechtian

distancing effect The distancing effect, also translated as alienation effect ( or ''V-Effekt''), is a concept in performing arts credited to German playwright Bertolt Brecht. Brecht first used the term in his essay "Alienation Effects in Chinese Acting" published ...

Cast

In alphabetical order * Gustl Bayrhammer - Captain Vorst *

Hartmut Becker Hartmut Becker (6 May 1938 – 22 January 2022) was a German actor. He played Sgt. Gustav Wagner in ''Escape From Sobibor'' in 1987. He also starred in the 1970 film ''o.k. (film), o.k.'', which was also entered into the 20th Berlin Internation ...

- Ralph Clarke *

Senta Berger Senta Verhoeven (née Berger; ''Austrian German:'' , ; born 13 May 1941) is an Austrian-German actress. She received many award nominations for her acting in theatre, film, and television; her awards include three Bambi (prize), Bambi Awards, t ...

- Herself * Hanna Burgwitz - Josefine * - Reilly * Wolfgang Fischer - Rafe *

Eva Mattes __NOTOC__ Eva Mattes (; born 14 December 1954) is a German-Austrian actress. She has appeared in four films directed by director Rainer Werner Fassbinder ('' The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant'', ', '' Effi Briest'' and '' In a Year of 13 Moons ...

- Phan Ti Mao * Ewald Precht - Soldier Diaz * Vera Rheingold * Peter van Anft *

- Sven *

Friedrich von Thun Friedrich Ernst Peter Paul Maria Thun-Hohenstein (born 30 June 1942) is an Austrian actor. He appeared in more than a hundred films since 1958. Biography Friedrich von Thun was born on 30 June 1942 in Kvasice, Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia ...

- Sergeant Tony Meserve * Rolf Zacher - Rowan

Controversy

During the 1970 Berlin Film Festival, the jury, headed by American film director

George Stevens George Cooper Stevens (December 18, 1904 – March 8, 1975) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for ''A Place in the Sun (1951 film), A Place in the Sun'' (1951) ...

, decided after a 7–2 vote to remove the film from the competition, justifying their decision by citing a FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) guideline that said: "All film festivals should contribute to better understanding between nations". The decision came as a result of the film's subject matter (its depiction of the Incident on Hill 192). Stevens, who had served during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, claimed that the film was

anti-American Anti-Americanism (also called anti-American sentiment and Americanophobia) is a term that can describe several sentiments and po ...

. One jury member,

Dušan Makavejev Dušan Makavejev ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Макавејев, ; 13 October 1932 – 25 January 2019) was a Serbian film director and screenwriter. He is known for his groundbreaking films of Yugoslav cinema in the late 1960s and early 1970s—many ...

, protested against this measure, stood up for the film and supported Verhoeven and producer Rob Houwer. Verhoeven defended his film stating: "I have not made an anti-American film. If I were an American, I would even say my film is pro‐American. The biggest part of the American people today is against the war in Vietnam". Other directors that were taking part in the festival withdrew their films in protest. The jury was accused of censorship and eventually disbanded. No prizes were awarded and the competition was suspended. This scandal had such a big effect that it was unclear if the festival would continue to take place the next year.

References

External links

*
''o.k.''
at filmportal.de/en {{Rob Houwer 1970 films 1970s avant-garde and experimental films German avant-garde and experimental films West German films 1970s German-language films Films directed by Michael Verhoeven Films produced by Rob Houwer Anti-war films about the Vietnam War Vietnam War films German black-and-white films Films about rape 1970s German films Sexual violence in the Vietnam War

Plot

Cast

Controversy

See also

References

External links