(Der Rest ist Schweigen, Helmut Käutner, West Germany 1959, 106 min., 35mm, German w/English Subtitles)
Original Release 35mm print
One of the leaders of post-war German cinema and arguably the most humanistic filmmaker of the Nazi era, Helmut Käutner was known for his subtle and delicate approach to many sensitive issues of his time. The Rest Is Silence is a modern retelling of Hamlet. A young Harvard professor visits his native Germany for the first time in fifteen years to investigate the mysterious death of his father, owner of steelworks. The factory is now run by Claudius, the deceased’s brother. Dr. von Pohl is a devoted friend of the family, Fee is his mentally unstable daughter. Krantz and Goulden manage a ballet troupe… It’s hardly surprising that familiar characters were so easily adapted to Germany of the 1950s: the war reshaped the nation for decades ahead and made Shakespearean conflicts an everyday reality. Hamlet has always been a modern play, but the times of collective trauma make Shakespeare particularly topical.
Post-screening discussion with Senior Curator Peter Bagrov