Movie Info
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Cast and Crew
Director
Nikolai MullerschonProducer
Dan Maag, Nikolai Mullerschon, Roland Pellegrino, Thomas ReisserScreenwriter
Nikolai MullerschonStarring
- Matthias Schweighofer
- Til Schweiger
- Lena Headey as Kate Otersdorf
- Joseph Fiennes
- Volker Bruch
- Maxim Mehmet
- Steffen Schroeder
Movie Story
Europe in 1916. Thirsting for adventure and carried away by the euphoria of the moment, 24-year-old Manfred von Richthofen (Matthias Schweighofer) goes off to war like thousands of other young men. As celebrated fighter pilots, he and his comrades soon become cult figures for the soldiers on the battlefields, admired by friends and foes alike.
Marked by sportsmanlike conduct and ambition, technical exactitude and knightly propriety, they have their own code of honor. They decorate their aircrafts in a whole range of motifs. Manfred von Richthofen's red Fokker DR I becomes a symbol of the feared but revered flying squadrons of the First World War.
Though it is not long before von Richthofen begins to understand that his hero status is deceptive. His love for Kate (Lena Headey), a nurse, opens his eyes to the brutality and viciousness of war. A war which leaves no room for valiant deeds and, even worse, eliminates many of his friends, who lose their lives in reckless aerial combat.
When Manfred from Richthofen comes to realize that he is being misused by the military regime for propaganda purposes and so actually contributing to encouraging thousands of soldiers - who worship him blindly - to rush headlong to their destruction, he decides to escape his fame. A decision that makes him legendary... but with tragic consequences.
Movie Stills
Reader's Reviews
Matt Schweiger did a Good Job with what he was given. Nice kid, this is a story about the "German Fly Boys". It really is just that. It is a fairy tale about the Red Barron. It really has nothing to do with the real Red Barron. For one all the pilots are kids, and even the soldiers in the movie are played by men. Having the Jewish pilot in the group as being Richtovens best friends and he cries when he died. I enjoyed the movie the way I would Jurrasic Park. But ti is a far cry from Das Boot, a real war movie. Its made for kids. They could of made a great movie but they made crap. Shouldn't they realize that Holywood makes enough crap for USA and Germany combined. They make Werner Voss into a homo. He says in the movie "I dont want to ket killed because of Lothar's ambition." A guy who died while attacking 5 enemy planes single handedly.
posted by mandaltby on Jan 22, 2009The movie, from my point of view, was very well done. The story was shown in a easy to follow format. As the movie progresses, Manfred's history is opened. The fight scenes are amazing but you never get to see the Red Baron die. The only thing that I didn't like about the movie is the end, the facts that they present to you I find vauge and open ended. All and all, I would suggest it to anyone. Its worth it.
posted by That one guy on Jun 17, 2009