Intcatinfo
A Masterpiece!
Doomtomylo
a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.
FirstWitch
A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.
Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Die Legende von Paul und Paula" or "The Legend of Paul and Paula" is an East German German-language film from 1973, so this one is already over 40 years old. It runs for almost 100 minutes and is today considered one of the best GDR movies in retrospective. I agree partially with that. My personal opinion is sadly that the GDR was not a good country at all when it comes to their cinematic achievements, so by general standards it is an okay movie, but compared to other GDR films I believe that this one does indeed stand out from the very weak rest. It probably also helps that this is a color film. I cannot see this film by Heiner Carow and Ulrich Plenzdorf as relevant in depicting life in the GDR. It does not make an impact in terms of politics or society I think. It is, however, worth checking out because it is a solid romance movie that is pretty bleak and sometimes even devastating. The movie lives through the two title characters and the way they are portrayed and depicted, especially Angelica Domröse's Paula. Yes there are moments of blatant overacting, but this is basically the case in 90% of all 1970s films, especially the German ones. There were some good parts, some not so good, but overall the positive outweighs the negative. I also liked the introduction of the two characters that we meet them long before they become a couple actually. As a whole, I am not sure this film should be as popular as it is today, but at least it's evidence that not every GDR movie is a failure. This is one of the rare successes. I recommend the watch, thumbs up.
Emil Bakkum
The film "Die Legende von Paul und Paula" is the answer of DEFA to the western Flower Power movement in the sixties. And although normally the Bolshevist film makers have a habit of ridiculing western (bourgeois) cultural phenomena, in this film they look kindly upon the sensual life of the hippies. The result is a bitter-sweet story. Bitter, because Flower Power is a counter culture, that revolts against the powers that be. The relation between the young lovers Paula and Paul is passionate and bold. For Paul is still married, albeit with a pawky and deceitful woman, a pauper and a pouter, in an affair that from the start never had a chance. And Paula is a mother of two children, just separated, because her husband could not remain faithful. Evidently marriage can be a vexation. The relation between Paula and Paul develops on feelings of passion and attraction. For on the level of cognition they are very different. Paul is a well-paid worker in the medical profession, and looks forward to a brilliant career. Paula works as check-out lady in a supermarket (does this mean something?). Some would call her a Paul Pry. But she possesses a fantasy, a despairing joy and a cheerful nature, that gradually undermine Pauls narrow-minded objections against a new steady relationship. There is sorrow too, for instance when Paulas little boy is killed in a road accident. Finally, after much amorous pow-pow, in the end the couple is united. But the union will not last. For Paula insists on having a child from Paul, even though because of physical inaptness the birth will most likely kill her. She is passionate until the end. Her death is the rebirth of Paul, who now under his own power adopts her sensual and joyous life style (with three kids, two from their former marriages, plus the mutual one). The timeless freedom of their affair is supported by the music of the GDR rock band "Die Puhdys", and by psychedelic scenes of Paula and Paul in a bed of flowers, floating on a river. The contrast with an earlier scene, where they make love in a pound, is immense. Of course this film is not unique. It follows the typical pattern of those days, just like for instance the Dutch film "Turks fruit" (also ending with the death of the female), and the American "Hair". But although I grew up in those years, I am still unable to give a convincing interpretation. There is something about sexual liberation and ill-fated relations. Beyond that, the behavior of the main characters is clearly unhealthy - just like Flower Power itself was unworldly and not viable. Perhaps the message is that there is always hope, and you should smile even in times of humanitarian shortcomings. We are just pawns in life's game. Let us call it a kind-hearted film with many qualities, that deserves more than it gets - like often on IMDb.
ryan-oliva
The Legend of Paul and Paula seems simple yet not boring. However, the film has profound ideas to tell – gender roles, social inequality and escapism. I like the film's way portraying of everyday life in East Berlin. You can almost see and feel the city. The love story between a passionate single mother and a complacent, married bureaucrat is not your typical Hollywood movie. The film also has a psychedelic and hippie feel. The soundtrack suits the film. I like the portions of the film where some elements (like the band that plays music while Paul and Paula are making love) are placed for no reason. The movie has a simple charm that captivates audiences. I guess that the film's success lies in its way of making the ordinary scenes of life extraordinary.
Barboelsch
It's kind of weird. Angelica Domröse speaks in the movie of a Banana and why it's bent, yet she as an actress has probably never seen one. Also her parents most likely chose her name 'Angelica' (note: the name is spelt 'Angelika' in any German-speaking country) to mock the Soviet system and give credit to the American way of life. Just like pretty much anyone else in the GDR (note: if ever you meet a girl in Europe named 'Doreen', 'Melissa' or 'Mandy', it's pretty safe to say that she's from East Germany).Pretty much all of the home appliances shown are authentic, yet they had to introduce coffee and cosmetics (which didn't really exist in the GDR at that time) to make it suitable for the political demagogues. Imagine it: the fact that there is a sentence in English ("excuse me, only one glass for you") could have led to a total ban of the entire movie.What else is there to say? Try to understand the lyrics of the Band 'Puhdys' featured manifold in this flick and the in-between-the-lines-messages and how this was important to get thoughts of freedom past the GDR's government's census.Well you guys probably don't and will never understand what kind of fruit GDR's socialism sprouted, but watching 'Paul and Paula' could theoretically help you get at least a glimpse.
