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Cult Review
Senior Film Conservator
Is Zärtlichkeit worth your time today? Only if you’re the kind of person who likes looking at old wallpaper and can handle a movie that moves like a tired turtle.
If you want explosions or people talking fast, you’ll hate this. It’s for the quiet folks who like to see how movies struggled when sound first showed up.
The whole thing is about a couple and some potential cheating, or maybe just a lot of misunderstandings. It’s hard to tell because everyone is so polite it hurts.
I mostly sat through it for Carola Neher. She has this way of looking at the camera that makes you feel like she’s bored of the movie too, but in a cool, mysterious way.
The movie starts in a room that looks like it cost more than my entire apartment building. Paul Otto plays the husband and he has this mustache that is perfectly trimmed.
He spends about ten minutes looking at a letter. Just looking at it. I think I checked my phone three times during that one scene.
It’s not quite as lively as something like The Wild Party. That movie has some zip to it, whereas this feels like it’s being performed in a library where everyone is afraid of the librarian.
There is a weird moment with a telephone. Telephones in 1930 were huge.
The way the actor handles the receiver is so careful, like he’s holding a baby bird. It’s a small detail, but it’s the kind of thing you notice when the plot isn't exactly racing along.
The title means "Tenderness." But honestly? Everyone feels pretty stiff.
I kept waiting for someone to crack a smile or maybe just trip over a rug. No one trips. They all walk like they have sticks taped to their backs.
It reminds me a little bit of the vibe in The French Doll, but with way less humor. It’s very German. Very serious about feelings that aren't being talked about.
The sound quality is pretty rough. There’s this constant hiss in the background.
It sounds like someone is frying bacon in the next room. After a while, you just get used to it, like a white noise machine for a nap.
I noticed a shadow on the wall during a big emotional talk. It looked like a giant hand was about to grab the lead actor.
It probably wasn't supposed to be there. I spent five minutes wondering if the boom mic operator was just standing in the wrong spot.
Georg Alexander is in this too. He’s okay. He does a lot of sighing.
If sighing was an Olympic sport, this movie would win the gold medal. Every scene ends with someone looking out a window and letting out a long breath.
The lighting is actually the best part. The blacks are really deep and the whites look like shining silver.
There’s a shot of Neher near a lamp where she looks absolutely incredible. The light hits her eyes and you forget that the story is kind of a nothing burger.
It’s a bit like Night Life in that it tries to capture a specific social scene. But it’s much more gloomier.
I think the the writers wanted this to be a big deep look at marriage. But it mostly just feels like people who need a hobby.
Why are they so upset? They live in a palace. Go for a walk or something.
There’s a scene where they eat dinner. The clinking of the forks is so loud.
Early sound movies didn't know how to mix things right. The fork sounds like a hammer hitting a nail.
I actually jumped the first time a plate hit the table. It was the most exciting part of the first act.
Is it a masterpiece? No. Is it interesting? Yeah, if you like history.
It’s like looking at a museum exhibit that occasionally talks back to you. I don't regret watching it, but I don't think I’ll ever watch it again.
One time is plenty for Zärtlichkeit. It’s a mood, I guess. A very dusty, quiet mood.
If you're looking for something with a bit more teeth, maybe try The Wolves of the Waterfront instead. This one is strictly for the furniture lovers.
Anyway, that's the movie. A lot of staring. A lot of nice clothes. Not much tenderness.
IMDb —
1927
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