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Poster for Bahnwärter Thiel

Bahnwärter Thiel

Seen it?

1982 | 73 min | Drama

Monday Morning Maybeearly rating

Why it’s a Monday Morning Maybe

With a box office flop and almost no lasting buzz, this one could be a tough watch. Keep your phone handy.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Tailor-made for anyone who's survived a family wedding and people who like stories about real, flawed people. Relationships are put under a microscope, for better or worse.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Character-first and patient, at 1 hr 13 min. An easy one to fit in on a school night.
What might put you off
  • It's in German, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Not the one if you want explosions or easy laughs.

The film tells the tragic fate of railroad guard Thiel at the end of the 19th century. Thiel, who spends his days in the dull, monotonous fulfillment of his duties, has lost his gentle, quiet wife Minna. He remarries out of concern for his young son Tobias. His second wife Lene, with whom he also has a child, is superior to him in vitality and has a rough passion. He discovers that his child from his first marriage is being discriminated against and tormented by her - Thiel withdraws more and more into himself and becomes lonely. When Tobias is killed in an accident, he blames Lene, and disaster is inevitable...

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsNot counted

    Not enough reviews on record yet

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerWeak

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    Not enough engagement data yet

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Cast & crew

Directed by Hans-Joachim Kasprzik

  • Martin TrettauBahnwärter Thiel
  • Walfriede SchmittLene
  • Blanche KommerellMinna
  • Rolf HoppePfarrer
  • Willi SchradeZugführer
  • Walter LendrichBahnwärter
  • Walter NiklausNarrator (voice)
  • Joachim Pape
  • Andreas Albert
  • Gerd Staiger