"Der Nachtportier" - Psychoanalytiker stellen Filme vor

In the series "Psychoanalysts introduce films", we take a look at a scandalous film from the 1970s about the sadomasochistic relationship between a concentration camp inmate and an SS officer:

THE NIGHT PORTER

ITA 1974. D: Liliana Cavani. D: Charlotte Rampling, Dirk Bogarde, Philippe Leroy, Gabriele Ferzetti. 118 min. DF. FSK: 16

As controversial as it is masterful in its depiction of the sadomasochistic relationship between a concentration camp survivor and her SS tormentor: in 1957 Vienna, former SS officer Maximilian Theo Aldorfer works as a night porter in a hotel. He belongs to a secret circle of former war criminals who are planning to cover up their deeds. One day, the beautiful Lucia appears at the hotel, who recognizes her tormentor in Aldorfer: as a young concentration camp prisoner during the war, she had silently, docilely and proudly given herself over to the sexual desires and humiliations of Sturmbannführer Aldorfer. Today, one word from Lucia would be enough to expose him. But she and Max rekindle their affair. His former Nazi comrades, however, demand her death.
Charlotte Rampling celebrated her big breakthrough with her role as Lucia. In Italy, the subversive scandalous film, which looks at the "fascination of evil" from a sexual pathology perspective, was banned at the time, leading to massive protests from stars such as Luchino Visconti and a strike by the Italian film industry.

Speaker: Ilka Quindeau (Frankfurt)