There are a couple of obvious factors that probably explain part of why this film didn’t catch on in its initial release (at least, not in the U.S.). It’s in black and white, which seems to be a real barrier for a lot of viewers. Black and white works very well here, both in creating the atmosphere of distrust and uncertainty that pervades the story and making it possible for director Steven Soderbergh to incorporate archival footage of Berlin after the fall of the Reich. Some of the shots used are from film shot by Billy Wilder and William Wyler, and they add tremendous authenticity to the setting.
The other major disadvantage “The Good German” faced was that it was released at almost the same time as “The Good Shepherd.” The latter got more critical attention because of director Robert DeNiro and a large, all-star cast. The similarity in titles (and somewhat in era, since part of “The Good Shepherd” is also set during and after WWII) may have confused some prospective movie goers.
Not that “The Good German” doesn’t have a cast to boast about. Cate Blanchett gives another of her stunning performances as Lena, a German Jewess who somehow survived the war and is now intent on getting out of Berlin. At the start of the film, she’s involved with Tully, an enterprising American G.I. played Tobey Maguire. Tully’s one of those guys who knows every angle, and he’s making the most of reaping the benefits of post-war Berlin. Tully is assigned to drive Jacob Geismer, played by George Clooney, a journalist who was stationed in Berlin early on in the war. He’s back to cover the Potsdam peace talks.
Turns out Jake and Lena have a history; she worked for him and they had an affair. Jake’s come back to Berlin in part to find out what happened to Lena, and to try and help her. But she keeps pushing him away, particularly after Tully’s body turns up in the river with a gunshot wound and a lot of unexplained cash.
No one except for Jake seems to care what happened to Tully. That includes the American brass (Beau Bridges) and Jake’s old friend, Bernie Teitel (Leland Orser), who’s been assigned the job of deciding which German citizens should be prosecuted for war crimes. Bernie knows a lot more than he’s telling.
All of the performers mentioned do excellent work in this film, especially Blanchett. You probably won’t like her character, but you’ll understand what drives her. Clooney seems to have a penchant for black and white (remember both “Good night, and good luck” and “Failsafe,” for two?), and his Jake is both confused and resolute. Two other notable performances come from Robin Weigert as Hannelore, Lena’s fellow working girl, and Christian Oliver as Emil Brandt, Lena’s mysterious husband. If you’ve seen Weigert in HBO’s “Deadwood,” you’ll have to look closely to recognize her here – Hannelore is the anti-Calamity Jane in many, many ways.
Also worth noting is the gorgeous musical score, composed by Thomas Newman. It contributes greatly to the sense of desperation and frustration that flows throughout the film.
The major disappointment with this DVD is that there are NO special features. Given what Soderbergh was trying to accomplish, and the approach he took in making this film, a director’s commentary would have been fascinating. (I rarely listen to director’s commentaries, but I would have listened to this one.) The web site for the film (http://thegoodgerman/warnerbros.com) has a lot of good material on the time period, the cinematic approach, and the challenges of making the picture, among other content. Would it have been that much of an extra effort to put that information on the DVD? This film deserves better.
“The Good German” isn’t about heroes; there are no heroes here. It’s an atmospheric study of what people are driven to do to survive, and how the decisions they make in seeking that survival affect them and those around them. I’m sure it’s no accident that the last scene in “The Good German” is very reminiscent of the final scene in “Casablanca,” but only in setting, not in content or tone. This is a quiet film that leaves a lasting impact, and one you can watch repeatedly, picking up some additional nuance each time. WATCH IT!