Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction next Tuesday, November 23: MARLENE
Maxmillian Schell’s classic 1984 documentary on the by then reclusive Marlene Dietrich was Oscar nominated the following year, and additionally picked up awards from various film critics’ circles and German film awards.
STF brings back the unusual but poignant doc, in which the legendary German star consented to an interview, on the condition that her present-day self not be filmed. Controlling her image in a masterful way, Dietrich forces Schell and the audience to focus on her classical appearance, even as they engage in a fascinating retrospective look at her career. If you haven’t seen the film before, definitely take a look.
what (not) to doc 