The Berlin Affair (1985)

What begins as an innocent art class becomes a steamy triangle of erotic passions and forbidden love. A beautiful Japanese girl becomes the object of obsession in a devious relationship between the wife of a German diplomat and her husband.

One moment we were laughing, the next, we were making love.

It's 1938 in Berlin, and Louise (Gudrun Landgrebe), the wife of a high ranking Nazi official, becomes very intrigued with Mitsuko (Mio Takaki), the daughter of the Japanese ambassador to Germany. As Louise later tells her professor, "One moment we were laughing, the next, we were making love." The two spend almost all of their time together, and Louise is totally in love. Her husband Heinz (Kevin McNally) figures out what's going on, jealous, but also worried about implications for himself. Heinz has been asked to take part in a purge of suspected gay men from the ranks of Nazi officials.

The women plot to scare Heinz to get him to accept their relationship, but in a major ick moment, Heinz and Mitsuko begin having an affair as well. It's apparent that she controls both of her lovers, and the jealousy in the household is overwhelming.

And then Louise and Mitsuko are found out, with a story appearing in the newspaper. The love triangle comes to end in an unexpected way. May 12, 2005

berlin affaire...

good film...for as the best, oh yeah...is drama, ok...but Gudrun Landgrebe great! for this eyes...like the film, great all, congratulations Liliana Cavani...but hope the new film in this way...for the woman of the family you understand? thank's! October 24, 2003

An Unusual Story Of Seduction During The Third Reich

It has long been fashionable in critical circles to bash the films of Liliana Cavani. Her films tend to show sleazy low life characters---------even when they live in palatial mansions. Her controversial NIGHT PORTER was unjustly accused of being deplorable, and insult to the intelligence of the average moviegoer, an offense to Jews and women, and generally condemned by everyone of cinematic importance. For me, she is the modern purveyor of film noir at it's darkest.

THE BERLIN AFFAIR tells the story of Mitsuko, daughter of the Japanese ambassador to Germany during the Nazi era. She is publicly quiet and demure, but in private, flamboyantly bisexual and seduces the wife of a high Nazi official-------and eventually the husband himself. This leads to a rather unusual ménage a trois with each member of the triangle becoming more and more jealous of the others. Eventually, this self-destructive relationship becomes harder and harder to resist in spite of the personal dangers to the individuals and their respective families and political causes.

It would be easy to dismiss this film as another sleazy sex opera from Cavani. But a great deal is going on in this film---------politically, sexually, socially, racially and artistically. There is a definite message for those willing to see it-------and it would be more fun for each viewer to find it for himself. Ignore Leonard Maltin's opinion and decide for yourself. March 4, 2001

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