Tweet

Comments (0)

 1 of 3

Schultze Gets the Blues Our rating: Your rating: 1 2 3 4 Your Comments: see all MPAA rating: PG (for mild language) Theater release: April 22, 2004 by Paramount Classics Directed by: Michael SchorrIn German (and English) with English subtitles. Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes Cast: Cast Horst Krause (Schultze), Harald Warmbrunn (Jürgen), Karl-Fred Müller (Manfred), Wilhelmine Herschig (Lisa), Rosenarie Deibel (Frau Lorant), Anne V. Angelle (Aretha) Related: Talk About It/Family Corner

In another example of life imitating art, Schultze Gets the Blues apparently took a cue from its own slow pacing. It's been nearly two years since the film's original 2003 release in Germany, where it was a smash hit. Since then, Schultze has earned considerable acclaim, earning the Special Director's Award at the Venice Film Festival, as well as Best Picture and Best Screenplay at the Stockholm Film Festival. Not bad considering this is the first international release for 40-year-old writer/director Michael Schorr.

The movie is largely set in a small, unspecified town in the East German state of Saxon-Anhalt. Schultze (Horst Krause) has spent most of his life working in a salt mine with his lifelong friends Jürgen (Harald Warmbrunn) and Manfred (Karl-Fred Müller). It's apparently an existence based on routine, to the point where you can tell these three men in their 50s are best buddies, even though they barely share any words in the film's first 15 minutes.

Horst Krause is quietly terrific in the title role

Then the unthinkable happens when all three are forced into early retirement, with little more to show for it than a souvenir lamp—made of salt, no less. It's too late in life to find new fulfilling work in this modern era. What now?

With their jobs behind them, life seems to lose meaning for these three. They hang out at the local pub, do some fishing, and play the occasional game of chess. But at least Jürgen and Manfred have families to keep them occupied. Schultze, the quietest of the trio, is unmarried and seems to live in the modern equivalent of a shack. The only thing he has to look forward to outside of time with his friends is participation in the community music club, where he lives in the shadow of his late father and continues to play the same polkas on his accordion year after year. Is this all there is to life?

Miners no more, Schultze and his buddies face the retirement blues

Inspiration strikes on a sleepless night when Schultze turns the radio dial and discovers zydeco. A German infatuated with Louisiana folk? It initially seems strange to Schultze too, since he initially fears he's fallen ill with a violent mood swing. But it's not nearly as unthinkable when you see him learn to play it on the accordion by focusing on one tune and speeding it up from comfortable polka to snappy Cajun blues. He takes to it like a kid with a new toy, evidenced by another scene where he finds himself continuously returning to zydeco while trying to practice his polka for an upcoming music festival—similar to kids pounding out rock on the piano in between practicing their scales.

As a result, Schultze's passion is rekindled, to the point where he begins to explore the culture by preparing Jambalaya for his friends. He also draws encouragement to pursue his interests from two local free spirits—Frau Lorant (Rosenarie Deibel), who works in the nursing home where his mother resides, and Lisa (Wilhelmine Herschig), the new waitress at the neighborhood pub. It all helps him work up the courage to introduce his love for the newfound music at the local music festival, with hopes of traveling to America to play for the club's sister chapter in Texas … and perhaps explore Bayou Country as well.

Schultze and friends ham it up

The film demonstrates the transforming power of music in more than a few lives, though it's ultimately less about the art and more about inspiration and finding purpose. Schultze's quiet joy for the buoyant zydeco is contrasted with some tedious German polkas and folk music. Yet it's not the music itself that's lacking—it's the lack of passion in the performances. The central character in this story is not the only one in need of newfound spark.

As such, Schultze Gets the Blues has much in common with other successful small films over the last few years. The most obvious comparison is Jack Nicholson's similarly bittersweet post-retirement parable About Schmidt. In some ways, it's got the same message of reviving self-esteem as The Full Monty, though this film obviously finds inspiration in far less vulgar artistic expression. And there are some parallels to 1999's leisurely paced The Straight Story, about the old man who takes a long journey on his lawnmower to visit his ailing brother.

next page... |  1 of 3 | last page