Jacob the Liar

Jacob the Liar

100 mins | Drama, Comedy, History | April 18, 1975

A Jewish ghetto in the east of Europe, 1944. By coincidence, Jakob Heym eavesdrops on a German radio broadcast announcing the Soviet Army is making slow by steady progress towards central Europe. In order to keep his companion in misfortune, Mischa, from risking his life for a few potatoes, he tells him what he heard and announces that he is in possession of a radio - in the ghetto a crime punishable by death. It doesn't take long for word of Jakob's secret to spread - suddenly, there is new hope and something to live for - and so Jakob finds himself in the uncomforting position of having to come up with more and more stories.

Jacob the Liar

100 mins | Drama, Comedy, History | April 18, 1975

Jacob the Liar
A Jewish ghetto in the east of Europe, 1944. By coincidence, Jakob Heym eavesdrops on a German radio broadcast announcing the Soviet Army is making slow by steady progress towards central Europe. In order to keep his companion in misfortune, Mischa, from risking his life for a few potatoes, he tells him what he heard and announces that he is in possession of a radio - in the ghetto a crime punishable by death. It doesn't take long for word of Jakob's secret to spread - suddenly, there is new hope and something to live for - and so Jakob finds himself in the uncomforting position of having to come up with more and more stories.
IMDb rating 7.1
Producers DEFA, Filmové studio Barrandov, Gruppe "Johannisthal"
Original title Jakob der Lügner
Directors Frank Beyer
Writers Jurek Becker, Frank Beyer

Cast

Vlastimil Brodský

as Jakob Heym

Erwin Geschonneck

as Kowalski

Henry Hübchen

as Mischa

Blanche Kommerell

as Rose Frankfurter

Manuela Simon

as Lina

Zsuzsa Gordon

as Mrs. Frankfurter

Armin Mueller-Stahl

as Roman Schlamm

Friedrich Richter

as Dr. Kirschbaum

Margit Bara

as Josefa

Reimar Johannes Baur

as Herschel Schlamm

Dezső Garas

as Frankfurter

Hermann Beyer

as Wachhabender