Frank Beyer
Frank Beyer | |
|---|---|
 Frank Beyer 5 October 1963 | |
| Born | Frank Paul Beyer 26 May 1932 |
| Died | 1 October 2006(aged 74) |
| Occupation | Film director |
| Years active | 1957–2000 |
Frank Paul Beyer(German:[fʁaŋkˈbaɪ̯.ɐ];26 May 1932 – 1 October 2006) was a Germanfilm director.InEast Germanyhe was one of the most important film directors, working for the state film monopolyDEFAand directed films that dealt mostly with theNazi eraand contemporary East Germany. His filmTrace of Stoneswas banned for 20 years in 1966 by the rulingSED.His 1975 filmJacob the Liarwas the only East German film ever nominated for anAcademy Award.After thefall of the Berlin Wallin 1989 until his death he mostly directed television films.
Biography[edit]
Early life and career[edit]
Frank Beyer was born as Frank Paul Beyer inNobitzinThuringia,Germany,to Paul Beyer, a clerk, and Charlotte Beyer, a sales clerk. He had a brother, Hermann Beyer (born 30 May 1943) who should have become a successful actor.[citation needed]After theMachtergreifungof theNazi Partyin 1933 his father, asocial democratlost his job and was unemployed for several years.[citation needed]In 1942 he was drafted for military service and was killed one year later at theEastern Front.[1]
In 1938 Frank Beyer started attending primary school in Nobitz, and later theRealgymnasiumErnestinum inAltenburg.His education was interrupted for a few months in the aftermath ofWorld War II.In fall 1946 he continued his education in Altenburg and played in an amateur dramatic society. He also became a member of theFree German Youthand later of theSocialist Unity Party of Germany.After finishing school with hisAbiturin 1950 he wanted to study history at theUniversity of Leipzig,but at the request of the socialist unity party he stayed in Altenburg and worked as district party secretary for the localcultural association.At the same time he trained to become a film projectionist, and being interested in theater wrote play reviews for the local newspaper. Later he worked at the theater of the towns ofCrimmitschauandGlauchauas an assistant director and dramaturge.[1]
In 1952 Frank Beyer began to study drama atHumboldt UniversityinBerlin,but transferred to theFilm School of the Academy of Performing Arts(FAMU) inPragueshortly afterwards. In Prague he studies film directing together with his future colleagues Konrad Petzold and Ralf Kirsten. In 1954 he works as an intern at theDEFAfilm studio during the production of the filmErnst Thälmann – Sohn seiner Klassedirected byKurt Maetzig.He completed another internship as an assistant director for a film adapted from the operaZar und Zimmermannand directed by Hans Müller. In his fourth year of studies, in 1957, he worked as an assistant director for Kurt Maetzig's two part filmSchlösser und Katenwith a special permission of his university. In 1957 he graduated from FAMU with the anti-war filmZwei Mütter.Based on a screenplay byLeonie Ossowski,his diploma film tells the story of a French and a German mother that fight for a child that has been mistakenly taken by the German after a bomb raid. The film had a theatrical release and became a success.[1]
Beyer at the DEFA studios (1957–1967)[edit]
After graduation Frank Beyer worked as a freelancer for the DEFA studios. He had declined an offer for a permanent position as an assistant director, as he would have been assigned to film projects and would not have had the freedom to choose. He started his directorial career with two short films in the satirical film seriesDas Stacheltier.His second feature filmEine alte Liebebased on a story by Werner Reinowski and released in 1958 did not follow the success of his directorial debutZwei Mütter.His third feature filmFive Cartridgesreleased in 1960 was a major critical and popular success and made him known in East Germany and abroad. The film was based on a screenplay by Walter Gorrish and tells the story of the members of aninternational brigadeduring theSpanish Civil War.[1]
He continued to direct films that focused onanti-fascist themes.The 1962 filmStar-Crossed Loverswas again based on a screenplay by Walter Gorrish and told the story of the antifascist activist Michael who has to serve in apenal military uniton the Eastern Front during World War II, and escapes with the help of his childhood friend Jürgen. Deserting to the Red army he hopes to meet his childhood friend and love Magdalena in Moscow, as she had fled from Nazi Germany to the Soviet Union. The experimental film made extensive use of flashbacks and extreme angles of view to express the emotions of the characters. His next project was the 1963 filmNaked Among Wolvesbased on the 1958 novel ofthe same namebyBruno Apitz.The film told the story of prisoners in theBuchenwald concentration campwho risk their lives to hide a jewish boy,Stefan Jerzy Zweig.The film is now regarded as a classic anti-fascist DEFA studio films. His next film, the 1963 comedyCarbide and Sorrelwas a major popular success.[1]
In 1966 Frank Beyer directed the filmTrace of Stonesbased on a novel by Erik Neutsch. The film is set in contemporary East Germany and is about the clash between conservative party functionaries, an unconventional and brazen foreman and a young and pragmatic party secretary and engineer on a construction site. Although the premiere at the Worker's Film Festival inPotsdamon 15 June 1966 was a success, the film premiere two weeks later inEast Berlincaused a major scandal. After a few minutes the screening was interrupted by protests over the depiction of party functionaries in the film. Similar protests occurred during other film screening in East Berlin,LeipzigandRostockand after three days the film was recalled from distribution and all press coverage ceased except for a harsh film review inNeues Deutschland.Only in 1989 shortly before thefall of the Berlin WallwasTrace of Stones]shown again publicly in East Germany.
Work for television (1967–1980)[edit]
Frank Beyer faced severe personal consequences. He had to leave the DEFA studios and was for several years not allowed to direct theatrical films. To "rehabilitate" him the party sent him toDresdenwhere he worked at the State Theater from 1967 to 1969. As a guest he also worked at the Gerhart-Hauptmann-Theater inGörlitzandZittauand at theMaxim Gorki Theaterin East Berlin.[2]
Despite being banned from directing theatrical films, Frank Beyer was allowed to direct a film forEast German televisionin 1968. The television filmDer Geizigeafter the playThe MiserbyMolièrewas realized with the cast of the State Theater in Dresden. In 1971 he directed the five part television filmRottenknechteon the last days of theGerman navyduring World War II, and in 1973 the four part television filmDie sieben Affären der Doña Juanitawith his wife Renate Blume in the leading role. The film, which concentrates on the private and romantic life of a young woman, generated debates on marriage, relationships and socialist moral across the country.[1]
His first theatrical film after almost ten years wasJacob the Liarin 1975, adapted from a novel byJurek Beckerand a co-production of the DEFA studios and East German television. The film is set in World War II in German-occupied Poland. It tells the story of the Jewish protagonist Jakob Heym in aJewish ghettowho pretends to own a radio and being able to receive news from the outside world. The film, which was remade into the Hollywood filmJakob the Liarin 1999, was Frank Beyer's biggest critical and popular success. At the25th Berlin International Film FestivalinWest Berlinin 1975 the film won a Silver Bear[3]and was nominated for theBest Foreign Language Filmat the49th Academy Awardsin 1977. It was East Germany's first and only nomination for an Academy Award.[1]
In 1977 he directed the romantic comedyDas Versteckagain based on a screenplay by Jurek Becker and starringJutta HoffmannandManfred Krug.Shortly before the completion of the production the East German government stripped the singer and dissidentWolf Biermannof his citizenship while he was on a concert tour in West Germany. Frank Beyer, Jurek Becker and the lead actors signed a letter protesting the actions of the East German government. Frank Beyer was reprimanded by the party and prohibited to work for the DEFA studios. Because the lead actor Manfred Krug had applied for permission to leave East Germany, the film was shelved and not shown in theaters. Frank Beyer's situation worsened with the television filmGeschlossene Gesellschaftin 1978. The film, which ostensibly depicts a marriage crisis, was heavily criticized by party functionaries due to a perceived criticism of the socialist society. Frank Beyer was now prohibited from working for television and in 1980 his party membership was suspended.
Work in East and West (1980–1989)[edit]
Although prohibited to work in East Germany in 1980 Frank Beyer was given permission to work in West Germany. For the West German public broadcasterARDhe directed the television filmsDer König und sein NarrandThe Second Skinin 1981.[1]In 1982 Frank Beyer was given permission to direct a film in East Germany at the DEFA studios.The Turning Pointafter a novel byHermann Kanttells the story of a German prisoner of war at the end of World War II who is wrongly accused of being a war criminal. The film was controversial upon release as Polish commentators and officials criticized that the film showed the Polish army wrongly accusing a German soldier of war crimes. The controversy also resulted in a withdrawal of the film from theBerlin International Film Festival,where it was originally planned to be screened and was expected to successfully compete for the awards.[4]
In 1983 he directed the road movieBockshornwhich was shot in the USA and in Cuba and was not very successful at the box office after the theatrical release in 1984. For several years, until 1989 Frank Beyer worked on several projects in East and West Germany, with none being realized. He also worked as a director at the political cabaretPfeffermühlein Leipzig. Only in 1988 one of his projects was realized. Together with the screenwriterWolfgang Kohlhaasehe wrote the script to the criminal-comedy filmThe Breakbased on a true event from post-war Berlin. The film was realized as a co-production between East and West Germany. A popular success in East Germany, the film was a box office disappointment in West Germany.[1]
Career after 1989[edit]
After the fall of the Berlin Wall and theGerman reunificationFrank Beyer had no problems continuing his work. In 1990 he directed the two part television filmEnde der Unschuldabout German physicists and the development of aGerman nuclear bomb.In 1991 his last theatrical and DEFA film,Der Verdacht,was released. The film is about a love story in East Germany in the 1970s, but was not very successful at the box office.[1]
Since then Frank Beyer had only worked for television. He directed the romantic comedySie und Erand the comedyDas große Festin 1992. The international co-productionThe Last U-Boatfollowed in 1993. In the same year he was the Head of the Jury at the43rd Berlin International Film Festival.[5]He adapted a story by Jurek Becker in 1995 inWenn alle Deutschen schlafenand had a major popular and critical success with theNikolaikirchein 1995. The film concentrated on the last years of East Germany and tells the story of a family that is torn between the protest movement and theStasi.Another success was the filmDer Hauptmann von Köpenickbased on the playThe Captain of KöpenickbyCarl Zuckmayer.In 1998 he directedAbgehauen,a film about the circumstances of the deprivation of Wolf Biermann's citizenship and the departure of Manfred Krug from East Germany. His last project was a film based on the novelAnniversariesbyUwe Johnson.He had already developed the project and completed pre-production, but due to conflicts with the producers he was replaced withMargarethe von Trotta.[1]Frank Beyer died after a long illness on 1 October 2006 at the age of 74 in Berlin. He was buried on the Dorotheenstädtischen Cemetery in Berlin.[6]
Personal life[edit]
In 1956 Frank Beyer married a make-up artist he met at the theater inAltenburg.Their daughter Elke was already born in March 1955. In 1965 they were divorced. In January 1969 he married the actressRenate Blume.Their son Alexander was born in June 1969. They were divorced in spring 1975. Their son Alexander was adopted by Renate Blume's second husband, the singer and actorDean Reed.Under his name Alexander Reed he became an actor, and had minor roles in two of his father's films,Der Hauptmann von Köpenickin 1997 andAbgehauenin 1998. In 1985 Frank Beyer married for a third time. The marriage to the television announcer Monika Unferferth was ended several years later. Until his death he lived together with the poetKarin Kiwusin Berlin.[1]
Filmography[edit]
All titles directed and written by Frank Beyer unless stated otherwise. Source: DEFA Foundation.[1]All films are in German language, some were made available with English subtitles but never dubbed in English. Exceptions are noted in the list.
| Year | English title | Original title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1954 | Wetterfrösche | Student film | |
| 1955 | Ernst Thälmann – Sohn seiner Klasse | Intern | |
| 1955 | Zar und Zimmermann | Assistant director | |
| 1955 | Die Irren sind unter uns | Student film, co-directed and co-written with Ralf Kirsten and Konrad Petzold | |
| 1956 | Schlösser und Katen | Assistant director | |
| 1957 | Zwei Mütter | ||
| 1957 | Das Stacheltier:Fridericus Rex | ||
| 1957 | Polonia-Express | Assistant director, co-written withKurt Jung-Alsen | |
| 1957 | Das Stacheltier:Das Gesellschaftsspiel | ||
| 1959 | Eine alte Liebe | Co-written with Werner Reinowski | |
| 1960 | Five Cartridges | Fünf Patronenhülsen | Screenplay by Walter Gorrish |
| 1962 | Star-Crossed Lovers | Königskinder | Screenplay by Edith Gorrish and Walter Gorrish |
| 1963 | Naked Among Wolves | Nackt unter Wölfen | Won a Silver Prize at the3rd Moscow International Film Festival[7] |
| 1963 | Carbide and Sorrel | Karbid und Sauerampfer | |
| 1966 | Trace of Stones | Spur der Steine | Screenplay by Karl Georg Egel |
| 1968 | Der Geizige | Television film | |
| 1971 | Rottenknechte | Television film, co-written by Klaus Poche | |
| 1972 | Januskopf | Actor | |
| 1973 | Die sieben Affären der Doña Juanita | Television film, co-written byEberhard Panitz | |
| 1975 | Jacob the Liar | Jakob der Lügner | |
| 1977 | Das Versteck | ||
| 1978 | Geschlossene Gesellschaft | Television film | |
| 1981 | Der König und sein Narr | West German television film, screenplay byUlrich Plenzdorf | |
| 1981 | The Second Skin | Die zweite Haut | West German television film, screenplay by Klaus Poche |
| 1983 | The Turning Point | Der Aufenthalt | East German film, screenplay byWolfgang Kohlhaase.Won theFindling Award |
| 1984 | Bockshorn | East German film, screenplay byUlrich Plenzdorf | |
| 1989 | The Break | Der Bruch | Screenplay byWolfgang Kohlhaase |
| 1991 | Ende der Unschuld | Television film, screenplay byWolfgang Menge | |
| 1991 | Suspicion | Der Verdacht | Screenplay byUlrich Plenzdorf |
| 1992 | Sie und Er | Television film, screenplay by Klaus Poche | |
| 1992 | Das große Fest | Television film, screenplay by Klaus Poche | |
| 1993 | The Last U-Boat | Das letzte U-Boot | Television film, dubbed in/original in English, screenplay by Knut Boeser |
| 1995 | While All Germans Sleep | Wenn alle Deutschen schlafen | Television film, screenplay byJurek Becker |
| 1996 | Nikolaikirche | Television film, co-written with Eberhard Görner andErich Loest | |
| 1997 | Der Hauptmann von Köpenick | Television film, screenplay byWolfgang Kohlhaase | |
| 1998 | Abgehauen | Television film, screenplay byUlrich Plenzdorf |
References[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^abcdefghijklmWalk, Ines (June 2007)."Frank Beyer"(in German). DEFA Foundation. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-06-12.Retrieved2009-06-04.
- ^Schenk, Ralf (1995).Regie: Frank Beyer(in German). Berlin: Edition Hentrich. pp. 54–64.ISBN3-89468-156-X.
- ^"Berlinale 1975: Prize Winners".berlinale.de.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-10-15.Retrieved2010-07-10.
- ^"Kein" Aufenthalt "zur Berlinale".Der Spiegel(in German).6(1983). Hamburg: 170. 7 February 1983.Retrieved2009-06-03.
- ^"Berlinale: 1993 Juries".berlinale.de.Retrieved2011-05-29.
- ^"Trauerfeier für Filmregisseur Frank Beyer".Die Welt(in German). 12 October 2006.Retrieved2009-06-05.
- ^"3rd Moscow International Film Festival (1963)".MIFF.Archived fromthe originalon 2013-01-16.Retrieved2012-11-26.
Bibliography[edit]
- Beyer, Frank (2001).Wenn der Wind sich dreht(in German). Berlin: Econ Verlag.ISBN3-430-11477-2.
- Schenk, Ralf (1996).Regie: Frank Beyer(in German). Berlin: Edition Hentrich.ISBN3-89468-156-X.
- Schieber, Elke (2004).Das Archiv des Regisseurs Frank Beyer(in German). Berlin: Kulturstiftung der Länder.
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