''Question 7'' is a 1961 American-West German film directed by

Stuart Rosenberg Stuart Rosenberg (August 11, 1927 – March 15, 2007) was an American film and television director. He was most noted for his collaborations with actor Paul Newman, whom he directed in ''Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), ''WUSA (film), WUSA'' (1970), ''Po ...

and starring Michael Gwynn, Margaret Jahnen and Christian de Bresson. It won the National Board of Review Award for Best Film. It was also entered into the 11th Berlin International Film Festival.

Plot

In post-war East Germany, Peter Gottfried is the son of minister Friedrich Gottfried. The Communist regime has decreed that all children of "

dissident A dissident is a person who actively challenges an established political or religious system, doctrine, belief, policy, or institution. In a religious context, the word has been used since the 18th century, and in the political sense since the 2 ...

s" will be denied entry to a prestigious music conservatory. Peter is anxious to be accepted, and in order to get in he prepares to answer the seven questions required by the conservatory, the seventh of which will require him to deny his religious convictions. Before this can happen, he is invited by the Socialist Unity Party to perform at the Berlin Youth Festival. Friedrich protests, knowing that the Communists intend to use his son as a political pawn, to "prove" to the world that East Germany affords equal rights to clergymen. In the end, it is Peter himself who decides to quit the Festival and defect to the West.

Cast

* Michael Gwynn as Friedrich Gottfried * Margaret Jahnen as Gerda Gottfried * Christian De Bresson as Peter Gottfried * Almut Eggert as Anneliese Zingler * Erik Schumann as Rolf Starke * Max Buchsbaum as Inspector Hermann * John Ruddock as Martin Kraus * Leo Bieber as Herr Rettmann * Fritz Wepper as Heinz Dehmert * Eduard Linkers as Otto Zingler * Marianne Schubarth as Marta Zingler * Philo Hauser as Barber * Rolf von Nauckhoff as Karl Marschall * Helmo Kindermann as Luedtke * Manfred Fuerst as Steffl

References

External links

* 1961 films 1961 drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by Stuart Rosenberg Cold War films Films set in East Germany Films critical of communism American drama films UFA GmbH films Films shot in Berlin 1960s American films 1960s English-language films Films scored by Hans-Martin Majewski {{1960s-US-film-stub

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links