Brennendes Geheimnis

This film came to mind again the other day when I watched the film "Sredni Vashtar" (1981) by British director/screenwriter Andrew Birkin, whose screenplays already hold a privileged place in my physical media collection.

Undoubtedly, there are few works in recent literary history that have sparked as much controversy as Thomas Mann's "Death in Venice," written in 1912, and this short story, written a year later by Stefan Zweig under the title "Burning Secret." So much so that all the film, theater, and TV adaptations of these works have caused great controversy...

"Burning Secret" was banned and its publication prevented so many times that Adolf Hitler and the Reich Ministry of Public Enlightenment and Propaganda banned the book separately and the film adapted from it, titled "Das brennende Geheimnis, Mutter, dein Kind ruft!," separately.

This adaptation was quite risky for MGM because they actually wanted Stanley Kubrick to direct the film. They both wanted the project and feared that Kubrick, who had already generated great controversy with his film "Lolita," would take things even further with this script.

Ultimately, the film was written and directed by Andrew Birkin, but according to him, there was never a comfortable working environment on set due to the constant quarrels between Klaus Maria Brandauer and Faye Dunaway.

He even says in an interview that he made the film with David Eberts, which I didn't quite believe, but later, when I saw his videos with Hans Zimmer, I did...

This film and all the adaptations of this book are very underrated because MGM doesn't have the guts to release these films today.

This is a basically simple story capturing a period of time in "high society" life one hundred years ago in Austria. It was a simpler time, when people enjoyed reading books, cars were amazing big machines, and most people traveled about in horse and carriage. The principal characters are the Baron, the veteran actor Klaus Maria Brandauer, the mother, Faye Dunaway and playing the 12 year old son, David Eberts. To me, almost every scene in this film is like a post card or a beautiful painting. The atmosphere of Austria in winter; the wonderful old hotel and spa. The beautiful music by Hans Zimmer also added to the mood of the film. Faye Dunaway was literally breath taking. When she walked into the Hotel lobby every head was turned to watch her. I expect that was not acting, but a natural reaction by everyone there, to a beautiful woman coming into their presence. Handsome young actor David Eberts was perfect in the role of Edmund. The director, Andrew Birkin, wisely uses many extreme close ups of David's face and the kids' big brown eyes. Edmund was a lonely boy looking for a friend to "hang out" with, or a surrogate for his father who apparently didn't have much time for him. The mysterious Baron filled the role, taking an interest in this wonderful boy while all the time noticing how beautiful his mother was. All of the characters of the story, like everyone else in life, have their own emotional or physical problems to deal with. The Baron would tell stories to Edmund, and the boy was totally mesmerized by everything the Baron said. Again, the close-up shots of Edmund capture that intense attention he was giving the storyteller. As the Baron drew closer to Sonya, the mother, Edmund began to change, and was hurt and feeling betrayed by "his" new friend. In a key scene, Sonya said to the Baron "Edmund will go away from me, not because of you, or me, or even because he wants to, but because he must." One of the stories the Baron told Edmund was "Erl König", the Elf-King, by Goethe. In the end, a father holding his son, realizes the "kind war tot", the child was dead! The child Edmund was now becoming less dependent on his mother, and in fact as with the actor David Eberts, was growing away from childhood. The child was dead.

I read this story in the original in 1939 when I was an adolescent. I understood it only from the boy's point of view. It was a wonderful experience to see it at a time when my son was a grown man and I could understand the film from each individual's point of view. The makers of this film are to be congratulated for their sensitivity, and their tremendous skill for presenting this story written in a different social and historical context from their own. The acting of the entire cast was subtle and powerful. The mother's relationship with her son is beautifully realized. All in all, I highly recommend this film. I plan to buy it for my own collection.

A superb script is perhaps the best reason to see this movie, but it's a splendid film on all counts. I saw it during its original theatrical release and once since then, but it's the kind of movie that sticks in the memory.

Brandauer gives his usual splendid performance. The man has never given a bad one as far as I know, and this is one of his best. The camera loves him and you can read this character's thoughts from his eyes alone. The sometimes uneven Dunaway is just wonderful here, and still very beautiful when this was made. David Eberts, as her son, is also very fine and believable.

The atmosphere created by this movie will haunt you. Yes, I suppose it is an "art film," whatever that means. There are no car chases and the themes are very adult and provocative in the best sense. Photography and settings are beautiful. Give this a look, it will stick with you.

If you're thinking of blowing off Burning Secret, don't be so hasty. It's slow, but the pace fits in perfectly with the time period. It's set during the early 20th century, and Faye Dunaway plays a married woman staying at a health spa with her young son. In modern times, she might think of it as the perfect opportunity to play around, with her elderly husband at home. But in the 1910s, women didn't have affairs - especially high-class ladies - as readily. Faye's son, David Eberts, suffers from asthma, and her only priority is to see him receive good medical treatment. The spa is located in the beautiful Austrian countryside in winter, and while she enjoys the scenery and amenities, she loves her son. When David meets another patient, Klaus Maria Brandauer, she thinks Klaus is merely being polite in forming a friendship. David starts putting Klaus on a pedestal, and Faye has to weigh her reputation as a married woman spending time with an eligible man against the happiness of her son.

It's an interesting, subtle story that sucks you in and keeps you interested until the credits roll. Some might find it too slow, but I really enjoyed the realistic pace. Faye was perfect as a well-bred lady, and Klaus was intriguing without being too charming. Also, Faye's costumes were gorgeous! I'm starting to think she had it in her contract that she had to wear beautiful clothes. She looked lovely in Burning Secret. I think it was her first film after her plastic surgery, and her eyes looked beautiful.