Das Versprechen (The Promise)

1995

Das Versprechen (The Promise) (1995)

TOMATOMETER

71%

——

Critic Consensus: No consensus yet.

AUDIENCE SCORE

72%

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Movie Info

Two star-crossed lovers, separated by the Berlin wall for thirty years are reunited. The major events in their separate lives become the focus in this German political drama. The story begins in August 1961 as the Wall is being built. In Eastern Berlin a group of young adults plans their escape. Included in the group are Konrad and Sophie who has an aunt on the other side. It is the aunt who will sponsor the escapees. Escape will be the only way Konrad and Sophie will be able to stay together. Konrad is involved in a mishap en route and must remain in East Berlin. In 1968, the lovers at last get a chance to briefly meet in Prague. There they express their frustration and pain. At least there, in Prague they can find occasional happiness. Suddenly Russian tanks appear and destroy their new dream. 1980 comes. Sophie and Konrad have since married other people. Their next meeting is bittersweet as they look back upon their promise which was broken by circumstance, and by the decisions each lover had to make. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

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Cast

Meret Becker
as Young Sophie
Corinna Harfouch
as Sophie Sellman
Anian Zollner
as Young Konrad
August Zirner
as Konrad Richter
Jean-Yves Gautier
as Gerard
Eva Mattes
as Barbara
Hark Bohm
as Muller
Tina Engel
as Sophie's Aunt
Hans Kremer
as Harald
Otto Sander
as Prof. Lorenz
Walerij J. Alexeiew
as Vlady
Marco Bahr
Anka Baier
as Monika
Pierre Besson
as Harald I
Jens-Uwe Bogadte
Thomas Cermak
Barbara Dittus
Noella Dussart
as Helenka
Mathias Engel
Rayk Gaida
Gilles Gaudis
as Man in Court
Franziska Geyer
Ruth Glöss
as Konrad's Grandfather
Christina Große
Monika Hansen
as Sophie's Mother
Christine Harbort
Karin Heller
Christian Herschmann
as Alexander at 12 Years
Horst Hiemer
as Prison Director
Robert Hummel
as Escape Aide
Christoph Jacobi
Heike Jonca
Dagmar Jäger
Uwe Karpa
Waltraut Kramm
as Guide
Karl Kranzkowski
as 1st Border Official
Udo Kroschwald
as Müller I
Ulrike Krumbiegel
as Elisabeth
Thomas Lawincky
Sven Lehmann
as Max
Frank Lienert
Madeleine Lierck
Tilo Mandel
Andrea Mann
as Party Secretary at School
Dieter Mann
as Konrad's Father
Jörg Meister
as Alexander at 20 Years
Felix Moeller
Philippe Morier-Genoud
as Rüblander
Johanna Neumann
Dirk D. Nolting
Hagen Oechel
as Army Instructor
Steffen Pietsch
Klaus Piontek
as Sophie's Stepfather
Peter Planitzer
René Reinhardt
Bernd-U. Reppenhagen
as Border Officer
Sebastian Reusse
René Schubert
Heiko Senst
as Wolfgang
Stefan Steglich
Christian Tschirner
as Uwe Border Guard
Susann Ugé
as Barbara I
Franz Viehmann
as Stasi Man in Court
Christa Vogel
Simone von Zglinicki
as Konrad's Mother
Gabriele Völsch
Wolfgang Winkler
as Stasi Man at School
Susanne Ugé
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News & Interviews for Das Versprechen (The Promise)

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Critic Reviews for Das Versprechen (The Promise)

All Critics (7) | Top Critics (1)

Director Margarethe von Trotta effortlessly weaves history and personal events into a tapestry full of emotion and irony.

Feb 13, 2001 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
ReelViews
Top Critic

It becomes too fuzzy when it tries to explain in 115 minutes the history of modern Germany.

Mar 25, 2004 | Rating: C+ | Full Review…
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Shattering film about loss.

Aug 28, 2002 | Full Review…
Spirituality and Practice

Although it has many a tragic scene, the ultimate message made me feel like I had just heard Beethoven's Ode to Joy being sung - very uplifting.

Feb 13, 2001 | Rating: 3.5/4 | Full Review…
Internet Reviews
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Audience Reviews for Das Versprechen (The Promise)

This is a decent film set against the time Germany was divided by the Wall, but the romance part of the story was just a little bit too overly sentimental for my tastes.

Chris Weber
Chris Weber

Super Reviewer

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