Elective Affinities (German: Die Wahlverwandtschaften) is a 1974 East German drama film directed by Siegfried Kühn. It follows the dynamics which ensue when a couple invite two other people. The film is based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's 1809 novel Elective Affinities. It was released by the DEFA film studio on 27 August 1974.
Contents
Cast
Beata Tyszkiewicz as Charlotte
Hilmar Thate as Eduard
Magda Vasary as Ottilie
Gerry Wolff as the Captain
Horst Schulze as Mittler
Christine Schorn as Baroness
Volkmar Kleinert as Count
Jana Plichtová as Luciane
Nico Turoff as gardener
Jost Braun as architect
Reception
The journal Film-Dienst wrote: "In the historical scenography and in the dialogue, the film misses the issues of the original work; shortenings and tightenings occasionally make the developments incomprehensible. What in Goethe is presented as a clash of moral and natural laws, appears in the film as a questioning of norms, moral and ethics of civil marriage. For literature fans still a remarkable contribution."