The Promise

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The Promise

R

Released Sep 8, 1995

1h 55m

Drama

Romance

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67%

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6 Reviews

76%

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250+ Ratings

In 1961, shortly after the Berlin Wall is built, young lovers Konrad (August Zirner) and Sophie (Meret Becker) attempt to flee East Germany for West, but only Sophie manages to escape. Now separated by political boundaries, the two spend the next three decades trying to reconnect, even as he becomes an astrophysicist and she a member of the fashion industry. They do arrange an encounter in Prague, where Sophie becomes pregnant, but fear of punishment surrounds them, despite their love.

Dave White

Movies.com

Rated: 1.5/5

Apr 4, 2011

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Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

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

Rated: C+

Mar 25, 2004

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Leonard Klady

Movie City News

Rated: 3/5

Jul 18, 2003

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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat

Spirituality & Practice

Shattering film about loss.

Aug 28, 2002

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

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

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 13, 2001

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Steve Rhodes

Internet Reviews

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.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 13, 2001

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Audience Member

(** 1/2): Thumbs Down It starts out well enough, but I was left bored through most of the middle part of it. The cast is fine and story was interesting, it just seemed like the film should have been edited down more. A near-miss.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

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Audience Member

To be fair I don't remember this movie very well. I do remember it dragging on though and while the acting is actually quite good I just never really got a sense of the loss the principal characters are supposed to feel. A good but somewhat wasted effort.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

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Audience Member

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.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

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Audience Member

I was a bit disappointed by some of the parts left out of the plot (where did the French husband go again?), and the ending. Also, I felt that the actual Mauerfall, which is one of my favorite moments of German history, was not portrayed as well as in other films. I think one reason for this was the relative short timespan between the fall of the wall and the time it came out. For this reason, most Germans don't even know of the film. In fact, it's not even on the German Wikipedia, I'm writing a site for it right now.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

Audience Member

When I first saw it, I was so frustrated by the ending that I overlooked all the movie's really good points. But the more I think about it, the more I like it. It's definitely one of those movies that grows on you. I recommend it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

bo-ring... horrible movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

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Margarethe von Trotta

Director

Corinna Harfouch

Sophie

Meret Becker

Young Sophie

August Zirner

Konrad

Anian Zollner

Young Konrad

Jean-Yves Gaultier

Gerard

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Synopsis

In 1961, shortly after the Berlin Wall is built, young lovers Konrad (August Zirner) and Sophie (Meret Becker) attempt to flee East Germany for West, but only Sophie manages to escape. Now separated by political boundaries, the two spend the next three decades trying to reconnect, even as he becomes an astrophysicist and she a member of the fashion industry. They do arrange an encounter in Prague, where Sophie becomes pregnant, but fear of punishment surrounds them, despite their love.

Director: Margarethe von Trotta
Producer: Eberhard Junkersdorf
Screenwriter: Peter Schneider, Margarethe von Trotta, Felice Laudadio
Distributor: Fine Line Features
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Romance
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 8, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 27, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $72.1K
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

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