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Despair

  • 1978
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
3K
YOUR RATING
Dirk Bogarde, Andréa Ferréol, and Volker Spengler in Despair (1978)
In early-1930s Berlin, an elegant Russian émigré and eccentric chocolatier convinces himself that he has seen his doppelgänger, and hatches a murderous plan to trade his existence for an entirely new one. Will he get over the deep despair?
Play trailer2:23
1 Video
87 Photos
DramaHistory

In early-1930s Berlin, an elegant Russian émigré and eccentric chocolatier convinces himself that he has seen his doppelgänger, and hatches a murderous plan to trade his existence for an ent... Read allIn early-1930s Berlin, an elegant Russian émigré and eccentric chocolatier convinces himself that he has seen his doppelgänger, and hatches a murderous plan to trade his existence for an entirely new one. Will he get over the deep despair?In early-1930s Berlin, an elegant Russian émigré and eccentric chocolatier convinces himself that he has seen his doppelgänger, and hatches a murderous plan to trade his existence for an entirely new one. Will he get over the deep despair?

  • Director
    • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
  • Writers
    • Tom Stoppard
    • Vladimir Nabokov
  • Stars
    • Dirk Bogarde
    • Andréa Ferréol
    • Klaus Löwitsch
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.9/10
    3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Writers
      • Tom Stoppard
      • Vladimir Nabokov
    • Stars
      • Dirk Bogarde
      • Andréa Ferréol
      • Klaus Löwitsch
    • 16User reviews
    • 34Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 1 nomination total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 2:23
    Trailer

    Photos87

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    Top Cast20

    Dirk Bogarde
    Dirk Bogarde
    • Herman
    Andréa Ferréol
    Andréa Ferréol
    • Lydia
    Klaus Löwitsch
    Klaus Löwitsch
    • Felix
    Volker Spengler
    Volker Spengler
    • Ardalion
    Armin Meier
    • Silverman…
    Peter Kern
    Peter Kern
    • Müller
    Adrian Hoven
    Adrian Hoven
    • Inspector Schelling
    Alexander Allerson
    Alexander Allerson
    • Mayer
    Hark Bohm
    Hark Bohm
    • Doctor
    Roger Fritz
    Roger Fritz
    • Inspector Braun
    Gottfried John
    Gottfried John
    • Perebrodov
    Y Sa Lo
    • Elsie
    Lilo Pempeit
    • Secretary Schmidt
    Ingrid Caven
    Ingrid Caven
    • Hotel Manager
    Voli Geiler
    • 1st Landlady
    Isolde Barth
    Isolde Barth
    • 2nd Landlady
    Bernhard Wicki
    Bernhard Wicki
    • Orlovius
    Harry Baer
    Harry Baer
    • Innkeeper
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Rainer Werner Fassbinder
    • Writers
      • Tom Stoppard
      • Vladimir Nabokov
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews16

    6.93K
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    10

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Liam Neeson in Schindler's List (1993)
    History

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      This movie cost more than all of Director Rainer Werner Fassbinder's previous movies combined.
    • Goofs
      Though the movie is set in Weimar Germany in the early 1930s, at 1:15:15, Hermann Hermann smokes a filtered cigarette, and those were put on the market in the 1950s.
    • Quotes
      • Lydia: What's that accident all about?
      • Herman: What accident?
      • Lydia: In America. Why should it matter to you?
      • Herman: It doesn't say anything about an accident... it says just to go crash. Collapse!
      • Lydia: The whole street collapsed?
      • Herman: Wall Street.
      • Lydia: Were people killed?
      • Herman: Just a few. Mostly jumping out of windows. Nearly all of them were stock holders.
      • Lydia: Oh, Hermann...
      • Herman: Really, you are such a... such a stupid woman, Lydia. You've lived here for 7 years already and you still can't speak the language properly. Still, I don't mind. Inteligence would take the bloom off your carnality. No, a woman like you should keep moist and plump.
    • Connections
      Featured in Dirk Bogarde: By Myself (1992)

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    Details

    • Release date
      • September 20, 1978 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • West Germany
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Despair - Eine Reise ins Licht
    • Filming locations
      • Bavaria Studios, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Bavaria Atelier
      • Bavaria Film
      • Filmverlag der Autoren
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    • Budget
      • DEM 6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $8,144
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $11,623
      • Feb 16, 2003
    • Gross worldwide
      • $8,408
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 1h 59m(119 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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