Aimee and Jaguar
by Max Färberböck
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Elisabeth Degen, Heike Makatsch, Johanna Wokalek, Juliane Köhler, Maria SchraderDirector: Max Färberböck
Writer: Max Färberböck
Producer: Feliks Pastusiak
Producer: Gerhard von Halem
Producer: Günter Rohrbach
Producer: Hanno Huth
Producer: Lew Rywin
Writer: Rona Munro
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); German (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 125 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-10-30
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Zeitgeist Films
Movie Reviews of Aimee and Jaguar
Movie Review: often sad and painful to watch, but worth every single minute of your time
Summary: 5 Stars
"Aimée and Jaguar" stunned me when I saw it; this is a remarkable love story between two women at a very dangerous time in World War Two Germany just as things are beginning to end the war. The cinematography; choreography; costumes; musical score and the script are virtually flawless. Indeed, I was mesmerized by this film; it held my complete attention from start to finish. The fact that the plot is strongly based on true life events makes it all the more meaningful; I doubt I will forget this motion picture anytime soon.
When the action starts, we see elderly Frau Wust being forced out of her apartment and into a retirement home which is the last thing she wants. When Frau Lilly Wust (played to perfection by Juliane Köhler during the war years and by Inge Keller in more modern times) tries to escape the retirement home, she discovers much to her surprise that an old acquaintance, Ilse (played by Johanna Wokalek during the war years and by Kyra Mladeck for the modern day scenes), is living in the same retirement home! The two have much to discuss. For the most part the story is told as a flashback; and this works marvelously well in this film.
During World War Two in Germany, Lilly Wust is married to Nazi soldier Günther Wust (Detlev Buck); but while he is fighting on the front lines for Germany, Lilly has affair after affair with other men to find true happiness, a modicum of fulfillment as well as some sexual satisfaction. Nonetheless, it isn't long before Felice Schragenheim notices the beautiful Lilly, and this creates huge complications as Felice hides her Jewish identity and her preference for woman in the midst of World War Two Berlin. Specifically, Felice "hides in plain sight" by working at a Nazi newspaper and watching very carefully how she behaves in public when she's not alone with her other lesbian friends.
When Lilly gets a passionate letter from someone she doesn't know who simply signs their name as "Jaguar," she doesn't know who it could be but she is very interested in meeting the person she assumes is a man who wrote the letter. Much to Lilly's surprise, the letter has come from Felice who signed the name "Jaguar" to conceal her identity and protect herself against any backlash. Slowly but surely Felice encourages Lilly to start an affair with her--and for the first time in their lives the two actually find true love despite bombings from Allied forces; the Gestapo chasing Jews and lesbians like Felice (aka Jaguar) and a tough breakup between Ilse and Felice when Ilse realizes that Felice is no longer her girlfriend.
Although it seems as if I've written way too much and practically given it all away, I can assure you that I haven't. Günther certainly isn't too happy when he discovers that his wife is having an affair with another woman; and Lilly's parents are not exactly thrilled, either. What will their reactions bring to Lilly and Felice who now call each other Aimée and Jaguar? How does the war impact on Lilly's home life? Does Günther fight for his wife or does he leave her? No spoilers here--watch and find out!
The DVD comes with some very good extras. There is a brief summary of Lilly Wust's life; and I liked both the "behind the scenes" featurette as well as the "mini-documentary on the making of `Aimée & Jaguar.'" We also get interviews with both cast and crew--and even more!
I highly recommend this film for anyone interested in true life drama, romance films and even the impact World War Two had for same-sex couples in Europe. People also interested in high quality control foreign film will not be disappointed.
Summary of Aimee and Jaguar
In 1943, while the Allies are bombing Berlin and the Gestapo is purging the capital of Jews, a dangerous love affair blossoms between two women. One of them, Lilly Wust (Juliane Köhler), married and the mother of four sons, enjoys the privileges of her stature as an exemplar of Nazi motherhood. For her, this affair will be the most decisive experience of her life. For the other woman, Felice Schragenheim (Maria Schrader), a Jewess and member of the underground, their love fuels her with the hope that she will survive. A half-century later, Lilly Wust told her incredible story to writer Erica Fischer, and thebook, AIMEE & JAGUAR, first published in 1994 immediately became a bestseller and has since been translated into eleven languages. Max Färberböck's debut film, based on Fischer's book, is the true story of this extraordinary relationship. The film was nominated for a 1999 Golden Globe Award and was Germany's submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Both actresses received Silver Bears at the 1999 Berlin International Film Festival for their portrayals of "Aimée" and "Jaguar".Similar DVD Movies
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