[Opening credits, white text over a shot of Klingelpütz Prison and the monument to victims of the Gestapo, Cologne]
– Nicht versöhnt oder Es hilft nur Gewalt, wo Gewalt herrscht
– By Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub, based on the novel Billard um halbzehn [1959] by Heinrich Böll
[White scrolling text over shot of Gerhard Marcks’ statue The Mourning Woman in Cologne]
– Cast: Henning Harmssen [Robert Fähmel, 40 years old], Georg Zander [Hugo, hotel boy and Ferdinand “Ferdi” Progulske], Ulrich Hopmann [Robert Fähmel, 18 years old], Ernst Kutzinski [Schrella, 15 years old], Jochen Grüner, Günter Göbel, Peter Berger, Klaus Weyer, Eberhard Ellrich, Norbert Pritz, Bernd Wagner, Michael Krüger, Joseph Vollmert, Dieter Hornberg, Egbert Meiers, Ralf Kurth, Jürgen Beier, Michael Holy, Engelbert Greis, Wolfgang Kück, Herbert Gammersbach, Rolf Buhl, Peter Kneip, Gerd Lenze, Erdmann Dortschy, Piero Poli, Mar grit Borstel [blond who knits], Diana Schlesinger, Karin Kraus, Claudia Wurm, Frouwke van Herwynen, Ise Maassen, Dagmar von Netzer, Hartmut Kirchner, Jürgen Kraeft, Achim Wurm, Max Dietrich Willutzki, Hanne lore Langhoff, Johanna Odry, Günther Becker, Willy Bruno Wange, Stefan Odry, Anita Bell [old woman playing cards], Erika Brühl [Edith, Schrella’s sister], Werner Brühl [Trischler], Helga Brühl [Mrs. Trischler], Paul Esser, Hans Zander, Karl Bodenschatz [porter], Heiner Braun [Nettlinger], Heinrich Harges heimer [Heinrich Fähmel, Robert’s father, 80 years old], Huguette Sellen [Robert Fähmel’s secretary], Ulrich von Thüna [Schrella, 35 years old], Walter Brenner, Chargesheimer [= Carl-Heinz Hargesheimer, as Heinrich Fähmel, 35 years old], Rudolf Thome, Claudio Domberger,Lutz Grübnau [first abbot], Hans Schönberger, Karsten Peters, Kai A. Niemeyer, Danièle Straub [young Johanna], Franz Menzel, Martin Trieb [second abbot], Kim Sachtler, Walter Talmon-Gros, Joe Hembus, Max Zihlmann, Maurie Fischbein, Martha Ständner [Johanna Fähmel, Robert’s mother, 70 years old], Christel Meuser, Wendelin Sachtler [Mull], Eva Maria Bold [Ruth Fähmel, Robert’s daughter], Joachim Weiler [Joseph Fähmel, Robert’s son], Hiltraud Wegener [Marianne, Joseph’s fiancée], Kathrin Bold [Ferdinand’s sister], Annie Lautner, Johannes Buzalski, Eduard von Wickenburg [M.], Gottfried Bold [M.’s colleague], Victor von Halem [M.’s other colleague], Beate Speith
– “Anstatt den Eindruck hervorrufen zu wollen, er improvisiere, soll der Schauspieler lieber zeigen, was die Wahrheit ist: er zitiert. Bertolt Brecht.” [“Instead of wanting to create the impression that he is improvising, the actor should instead show what is the truth: he is quoting. Bertold Brecht.”]
– Camera: Wendelin Sachtler, Gerhard Ries, Christian Schwarzwald, Jean-Marie Straub, Negative: Kodak XX [5222] Rochester USA, Rear Projection: Bavaria, Trick-Atelier, Print timers: R. Iblherr, D. Kain
– Sound: Lutz Grübnau and Willi Hanspach, Neumann Miniature Condenser KM 56, Sound Mix: Paul Schöler, Aventin, Munich
– Technician: Herbert Martin, Assistance: Charlie Putzgruber, Hartmut Koldewey, Wilhelm Esch weiler
– Editing: Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub, Music conducted by François Louis, Geneva
– Production Manager: Danièle Huillet. Assistance: Max Dietrich Willutzki, Uschi Fritsche
– Direction: Jean-Marie Straub
MUSIC: Béla Bartók, Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (first movement, measures 1 –10); J. S. Bach, Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B Minor, BWV 1067
(opening).
PRODUCTION DATES AND LOCATIONS: August–September 1964 and April 1965 (6 + 2 weeks), at 45 different locations, in and around Cologne, Eifel, and Munich.
EQUIPMENT: 1 Arri Blimp 120 camera, 1 Nagra. 19,000 m. of negative exposed.
FINAL LENGTH: 1500 m. Budget: 117,000 DM.
ENGLISH SUBTITLES by Huillet and Misha Donat, FRENCH SUBTITLES by Huillet, ITALIAN SUBTITLES by Huillet and Adriano Aprà.
FIRST SCREENING: 1965 Berlin Film Festival (July 4), unofficial; 1965 Bergamo Film Festival (Grand Prize); 1965 New York Film Festival (September 18); 1965 London Film Festival (November 15); released in Munich, Theatiner-Filmkunst, February 11, 1966; 1966 Cahiers du cinéma Week, Paris; 1966 Pesaro Film Festival (Young Critics Prize and New Film Prize – jury: Gianni Amico, Marco Bellocchio, Bernardo Bertolucci, Jean-Luc Godard, Joris Ivens, Jaromil Jires and Pier Paolo Pasolini).
TV PREMIERE: August 25, 1969 (ARD, West Germany). Originally shown in the New York and London film festivals as Unreconciled.
