A Woman in Berlin

A Woman in Berlin (Anonyma - Eine Frau in Berlin) is based on a diary of the occupation of Berlin by the Russians, published to much controversy in Germany in the late '50s. The story takes the position that the Ruskies raped every woman in the neighborhood, every day until the war was over. The protagonist, an educated woman tired of being repeatedly raped, fucks her way up the chain of command if only because the benefits are better, learning sad truths of the human condition along the way.
A Woman in Berlin tells the story with compassion and never exploits the issue of rape, rather treating it as a metaphor for the brutality of war. Despite its harsh subject the film has some eloquent points to make and even offers an epic variety of scenes with comedy, drama and believable sustained war action.
Anonyma (Nina Hoss), a journalist bids farewell to her soldier husband (Inglourious Basterds' August Diehl) who departs for the Eastern Front. Before long her neighborhood feels the wrath of being caught by Russian troops advancing on Germany's capital city. Hoss has been in a few recent domestic releases (Yella, Jerichow) and could rapidly catch up with, say, Juliette Binoche in the category of Euro actresses to watch for. Anonyma eventually teams up with two alpha male officers and their relationships in all cases evolve past the initial sex for safety scenario.
A Woman in Berlin spends time getting into the reality of the war situation. There are no men around, just young boys hiding in attics and old men. The women who remain in the bombed out houses all adapt to their surroundings. One elderly femme even kindly remarks how the breath of her rapist was horrible but he complimented her on her tight pussy.
It's a striking subject on display and A Woman in Berlin plays the edgy parts with confidence. This is a really good film experience, and it will have profound effects on some viewers. The film made me wonder when the last American movie took on rape in war in a serious manner. Was it Casualties of War in 1989? A Woman in Berlin, in German and Russian with subtitles, unreels at the Angelika in an exclusive engagement.