''Life Begins at Eight'' (German: ''Das Leben beginnt um acht'') is a 1962 West German drama film directed by Michael Kehlmann and starring

O.E. Hasse Otto Eduard Hasse (11 July 1903 – 12 September 1978) was a German film actor and director. Biography Hasse was born to Wilhelm Gustav Eduard Hasse, a blacksmith, and Valeria Hasse in the village of Obersitzko, Province of Posen, Germa ...

Johanna Matz Johanna Matz (born 5 October 1932, in Vienna) is an Austrian film actress. She began as a dancer and later acted at the Burgtheater. Selected filmography * '' Maria Theresa'' (1951) * '' Season in Salzburg'' (1952) * ''The White Horse Inn'' (19 ...

and Helmut Wildt. It is an adaptation of the 1940 play ''

The Light of Heart ''The Light of Heart'' is a 1940 play by the British writer Emlyn Williams. It ran for 127 performances at the Apollo Theatre in London's West End between 21 February and 8 June 1940. The cast included Godfrey Tearle, Megs Jenkins, Gladys Henso ...

'' by Emlyn Williams, previously adapted into a 1942 Hollywood film '' Life Begins at Eight-Thirty''.Goble p.838 The action is moved from the play's setting of London to Berlin. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

s Hans Berthel and

Johannes Ott Johannes Ott (1919–1995) was a German art director known for his work in the country's film industry. In the early stages of his career he collaborated frequently with the veteran set designer Erich Kettelhut.Kalat p.129 Selected filmography * ...

. Completed in late 1961, it premiered at the Marmorhaus in Berlin early in the New Year.

Synopsis

A former stage star, struggling with the decline of his career and a drinking problem, lives with his daughter Cattrin. A young composer falls in love with her and manages to secure her father some work. However his demons ultimately overwhelm him and he commits suicide, freeing his daughter to live her own life.

Cast

as Mac Thomas *

as Cattrin, seine Tochter * Helmut Wildt as Robert Hauser *

Gudrun Thielemann Gudrun Thielemann (born 16 January 1926) is a German former actress of stage, film and television.Goble p.17 In 1958 she married the actor Günther Schramm. Selected filmography * ''I'm Waiting for You'' (1952) * '' Don't Forget Love'' (1953) * ...

as Fanny Ehrenwirth * Gundel Thormann as Emily Lawrence *

Walter Buschhoff Walter Buschhoff (1923–2010) was a German stage, film and television actor.Goble p.462 He was married to the actress Maria Körber. Selected filmography * ''IA in Oberbayern'' (1956) - Dr. Hans von Spörling * ''Heiße Ernte'' (1956) - Oskar ...

as Willibald Barthels * Eva Crüwell as Susanne Wenk *

Fritz Rémond Jr. Fritz Rémond Jr. (1902–1976) was a German actor of stage, film and television.Schwandt p.211 Selected filmography * '' When a Woman Loves'' (1950) * ''Oh, You Dear Fridolin'' (1952) * ''Captain Bay-Bay'' (1953) * ''I Was an Ugly Girl'' (1955) ...

as Frenkel, Manager *

Hans Schwarz Jr. Hans may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Hans (name), a masculine given name * Hans Raj Hans, Indian singer and politician ** Navraj Hans, Indian singer, actor, entrepreneur, cricket player and performer, son of Hans Raj Hans ** Yuvraj Hans, Punjabi ...

as Charly * Erna Sellmer as Frau Banner * Walter Tarrach as Dr. Stadtländer * Gerd Vespermann as Gerber, Garderobier * Stefan Wigger as Eberhard Bezel, Polizist * Lissy Arna * Ursula Diestel * Edith Elsholtz * Hans Epskamp *

Richard Handwerk Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

Harald Holberg Harald or Haraldr is the Old Norse form of the given name Harold. It may refer to: Medieval Kings of Denmark * Harald Bluetooth (935–985/986) Kings of Norway * Harald Fairhair (c. 850–c. 933) * Harald Greycloak (died 970) * Harald Hardrada ...

* Günther Stopnik *

Max Strassberg Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) (1 ...

* Achim Strietzel * Egon Vogel *

Lilo Zabke Lilo or LILO may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Lilo (name), a list of people with the nickname or surname * Lilo (footballer), Brazilian footballer Murilo Rufino Barbosa (born 1983) * Lilo (actress), stage name of German-born French actress and sing ...

References

Bibliography

* Bock, Hans-Michael & Bergfelder, Tim. ''The Concise CineGraph. Encyclopedia of German Cinema''. Berghahn Books, 2009. * Goble, Alan. ''The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film''. Walter de Gruyter, 1999.

External links

* 1962 films West German films German drama films 1962 drama films 1960s German-language films Films directed by Michael Kehlmann Films set in Berlin Films about actors German films based on plays Remakes of American films UFA GmbH films 1960s German films {{1960s-Germany-film-stub