Kurt Maetzig - Das Kaninchen bin ich aka The Rabbit is Me (1965)

This East German film about corruption in high places, and self-serving party officials, and abuse of power, was withheld from release from its completion in 1965 until 1990, shortly before the Berlin wall went down and the reunification process began. In the story, a self-important and self-involved judge abuses power readily. He begins an explicitly sexual affair with a sixteen-year old waitress, who at first thinks there may be some romantic bond between them, but who later sees things as they are, and goes off on her own.







Adapted from a previously banned novel, the venomous criticism of the courts and modern attention to style make it hard to believe that The Rabbit Is Me got produced at all. Because of just those reasons, the film sat on the shelf for decades, but that brief loosening of standards was an unlikely accident that resulted in this great film. This is justice straight out of Franz Kafka's The Trial, justice that seems so absurd but was sadly so real. We are given no facts on the crime Maria's brother committed, but it is compared to another that happens during the film. This man is placed on trial for the perceived disrespect of the establishment and, if not for Maria's testimony at the trial, this man would have been railroaded into prison just like her brother. As Maria witnesses the insanity of the trial and the gross corruption of the courts, her anger and frustration burst from the screen in powerful fury.

The plot is straightforward, but very rich in its characterizations. Maria is a strong, independent-minded woman unconcerned with the state of Communism. Her conflicting desires for justice and affection drive her actions to the point where she works exclusively out of self-interest, an attitude that destroys theoretical Communism. On the other side, Judge Deister appears to have it all: a good government job, respect from his peers, a beautiful, powerful wife, and a beautiful, powerful mistress. In spite of all this, he is so afraid of being fingered for subversion as well that he's readily willing to corrupt himself and the judicial system to make him appear a hardliner. Working out of pure self-interest in this realm destroys bureaucratic Communism. In The Rabbit Is Me, under these circumstances, Communism cannot function in any way and Maetzig uses the film to smash the notions of his government against the wall.

The realistic style is reminiscent of the French New Wave, using internal monologues and flashbacks for a much more stylistically driven film than the usual Soviet propaganda. It never beats you over the head with its politics and instead draws an emotional connection to make the point that much more powerful. Wrong as it often seems, the romance between Maria and Judge Deister is very sweet. Maria really loves the judge and is even willing to accept that he's married just to be with him. Her love never sours, but she can't reconcile the corruption with her emotions. This is portrayed beautifully by Angelika Waller, who turns in a fantastic performance. Her monologues tell more about the society than anybody there could ever speak. Alfred Mueller's performance is fantastic, making the judge slimy and pathetic, yet surprisingly sympathetic. Much of their relationship is drawn using repeated scenes that lull viewers into a sense of security only to turn the tables and make everyday items like watches and air rifles into objects of menace. The Rabbit Is Me works on every level, touching on both its emotional and political points with ease and mixing in stylistic flourishes to great effect. I have no doubts why this film was banned; I'm just happy it's now available. (DVD Verdict)









El conejo soy yo
La película nos cuenta la relación amorosa entre un juez, casado, y una mujer bastantes años más joven, que además tiene un hermano condenado a tres años de cárcel por ese mismo juez. Esto da lugar a una reflexión sobre el sistema judicial y legal en general y sobre su funcionamiento bajo el socialismo en particular, paralela a otra sobre las relaciones amorosas y matrimoniales, incluso las familiares. Todo ello ambientado en la RDA de los años de la construcción del muro. (rebeldemule)







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