Jakob der Lügner · 1974

Jacob the Liar

Frank Beyer · 100 min · Czechoslovakia

A Jewish ghetto in the east of Europe, 1944. By coincidence, Jakob Heym eavesdrops on a German radio broadcast announcing the Soviet Army is making slow by steady progress towards central Europe. In order to keep his companion in misfortune, Mischa, from risking his life for a few potatoes, he tells him what he heard and announces that he is in possession of a radio - in the ghetto a crime punishable by death. It doesn't take long for word of Jakob's secret to spread - suddenly, there is new hope and something to live for - and so Jakob finds himself in the uncomforting position of having to come up with more and more stories.

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Awards

Nominated for 1 Oscar. 2 wins & 2 nominations total

Production companies

DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme, Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe "Johannisthal", Filmové studio Barrandov, Fernsehen der DDR

Locations

Setting

Polonia

Locations: Wikidata · Data: TMDB / OMDb

Cast

• 

  Vlastimil Brodský

  Jakob Heym

• 

  Erwin Geschonneck

  Kowalski

• 

  Henry Hübchen

  Mischa

• 

  Blanche Kommerell

  Rose Frankfurter

• Manuela Simon

  Lina

• 

  Zsuzsa Gordon

  Mrs. Frankfurter

• 

  Armin Mueller-Stahl

  Roman Schlamm

• 

  Friedrich Richter

  Dr. Kirschbaum