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Marlene

Play trailer Poster for Marlene Released Mar 2, 1984 1h 35m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Directed by German actor Maximilian Schell, this film focuses on the life and career of screen star Marlene Dietrich. The famous actress declined to appear in any new interviews, so much of the documentary consists of the notoriously private Dietrich talking to Schell off-screen over film clips and photos of her legendary Hollywood heyday. Among the movies featured in the production are "The Blue Angel" and "Judgment at Nuremberg," a film that included both Schell and Dietrich in the cast.

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Marlene

Critics Reviews

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Geoff Brown Times (UK) Marlene, then, is infuriating, but rarely boring: Dietrich herself makes sure of that. Apr 14, 2020 Full Review Melissa Anderson Village Voice A shrewd summa of stardom and late-life legend-burnishing, wearily but no less admiringly acknowledging its irascible subject's perverse genius May 31, 2017 Full Review Bill Weber Slant Magazine The bilingual parrying between the withholding diva and her frustrated chronicler often seems like Sunset Boulevard re-imagined as a radio play, with sex removed from the equation but marlenus interruptus aplenty. Rated: 3/4 Oct 5, 2009 Full Review Joe Bittmann Washington Blade Schell’s film is therefore an achievement, building on the heterodox, oblique-angled technique of Marcel Ophuls to reconstruct Dietrich’s life like a mood piece. May 24, 2022 Full Review Michael W. Phillips, Jr. Goatdog's Movies I think we learn much more about Dietrich than we would have if she had submitted to the usual paint-by-numbers, fawning Biography Channel type of film. Rated: 4/5 Oct 26, 2009 Full Review Jeffrey M. Anderson Combustible Celluloid The result is a fascinating document, not only of the star herself, but also of the documentary as personal process. Oct 10, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (7) audience reviews
georgan g Interesting but difficult to follow as half was in German so had to read subtitles that were not left on for long. Marlene Dietrich said her career meant nothing, nor does she care for sex or love. What *does* she care about? Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/06/24 Full Review david f A riveting documentary featuring the disembodied voice of Marlene Dietrich speaking over clips of her performances and giving her take on her storied life. Has a meta approach of commenting on its production which I liked very much. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the best documentaries for its' subject matter. Completely new, inventive, and engaging from beginning to the end. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member Of course the famously reclusive Marlene Dietrich refused to appear on camera in a documentary film about her life. The real surprise was that she agreed even briefly to be filmed by Maximilian Schell. He got very lucky, since the off camera interviews combined with footage from her career led to on...read moree of the most acclaimed documentaries of the 1980s. Dietrich was a real German patriot by denouncing Hitler and actively supporting the Allies throughout World War II, for which she was an outcast for many years in her home country. And while she might not like the comparison, Dietrich is so combative and strong-willed, this makes a fascinating double bill with The Wonderful, Horrible Life Of Leni Riefenstahl who was forever on the wrong side of history but refused to admit it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Dietrich's last interview turned into a really fascinating, controversial documentary. Grumpy yet humble Marlene does her best to keep her star facade intact but fails measurably... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/03/23 Full Review Audience Member One really has to give Schell credit. After Dietrich more or less torpedoed the documentary, he went back and reconceived the whole project, with results that are probably far more impressive than the original film would have been. Amazing, and, oddly enough, no disservice to his subject. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/21/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Marlene

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Cast & Crew

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Maximilian Schell

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Marlene

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Movie Info

Synopsis Directed by German actor Maximilian Schell, this film focuses on the life and career of screen star Marlene Dietrich. The famous actress declined to appear in any new interviews, so much of the documentary consists of the notoriously private Dietrich talking to Schell off-screen over film clips and photos of her legendary Hollywood heyday. Among the movies featured in the production are "The Blue Angel" and "Judgment at Nuremberg," a film that included both Schell and Dietrich in the cast.
Director
Maximilian Schell
Production Co
Bayerischer Rundfunk, Braun Entertainment Group
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 2, 1984, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 1, 2016
Runtime
1h 35m
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