1809 Andreas Hofer - Die Freiheit des Adlers (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Xaver Schwarzenberger

Writer:

Felix Mitterer (writer)

Release Date:

27 October 2002 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama | War

Plot Keywords:

Rural | Cavalry | Hillside | Armed Crowd | Infantry

Cast

Tobias Moretti	...	Andreas Hofer
Franz-Xaver Kroetz	...	Pater Joachim Haspinger
Martina Gedeck	...	Lebzelter-Mariandl
Julia Stemberger	...	Anna Hofer
Günther Maria Halmer	...	General Georg August Freiherr von Kinkel
Heio von Stetten	...	Generallieutenant Carl Philipp von Wrede
Ottfried Fischer	...	König Maximilian I. Joseph von Bayern
Gregor Bloéb	...	Bauer Franz Raffl
Guntram Brattia	...	Kajetan Sweth
Karl Markovics	...	Erzherzog Karl von Österreich, Herzog von Teschen
Frank Hoffmann	...	Feldmarschall Chastelier
Peter Mitterrutzner	...	Knecht S. Zoderer
Manfred Lukas-Luderer	...	Schmied Joseph Öttl (as Manfred Lukas Luderer)
Pepi Pittl	...	1. Schütze
Toni Böhm	...	Bürgermeister Kasimir Schuhmacher

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

Austria | Germany | Italy

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Hofburg, Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria

Company:

Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR)

Too perfect

A monstrous production with a lot of Austrian stars involved was shown this year in Austrian cinemas first, then on television. Xaver Schwarzenberger directed, famous author Felix Mitterer wrote the script. A dozen renouned actors have slipped in 19th century costumes.

The result is overwhelming in a way. Nobody disappointed me. But something is missing in the whole project. Maybe it is a little flaw, a little surprise. This biopic is too slick, too perfect. There are even too many stars (maybe casting Ottfried Fischer as Bavarian king Maximilian was the trigger that lead to me disliking the film), there is no space for risks left. Therefore, even the cool Tyrolean accent of the characters becomes boring after a couple of minutes.

The Andreas Hofer film is a mere commercial project – though, admittedly, very well done. I would like to mention two of the actors specifically: Franz Xaver Kroetz is fascinating as a fundamentalist priest, and Julia Stemberger, who plays Hofer's wife Anna, shows that she can actually act. I still don't like her but at least she managed to impress me in this role.

However, I don't think this is going to become anyone's favourite movie of all time.