The Trial (German: Der Prozeß) is a 1948 Austrian drama film directed by G. W. Pabst. At the 9th Venice International Film Festival, Pabst won the Award for Best Director; Ernst Deutsch won the award for Best Actor and the Volpi Cup. The story is based on the events of the Tiszaeszlár affair.
Contents
Plot summary
Eszter, a young Catholic peasant girl, is treated badly by her employer and forced to run away from home. Immediately after her disappearance, a rumour spreads that the girl was murdered by some Jewish temple servants in the village, since she had last been seen at one of their homes, specifically the temple servant Scharf.
Inspector Bary was assigned investigate the case by the antisemitic Baron Ónódy. He manages to extract a confession from Scharf's young son. However, there are some discrepancies in the reconstruction of the events. This is noticed by Christian lawyer Dr. Eötvös (Ewald Balser), who personally takes charge of the defence of the accused.
Cast
Ewald Balser as Dr. Eötvös
Marianne Schönauer as Dr. Eötvös' fiancée
Ernst Deutsch as Scharf, temple servant
Rega Hafenbrödl as his wife
Albert Truby as Moritz, his son
Heinz Moog as Baron Onody
Maria Eis as Widow Solymosi
Aglaja Schmid as Esther, her daughter
Ida Russka as Bäurin (farmer) Batori, Esther's employer
Iván Petrovich as Egressy, prosecutor
Gustav Diessl as Both, prosecutor
Fritz Hinz-Fabricius as Judge
Josef Meinrad as Bary, investigating judge