I accuse

I accuse

125 mins | Drama | Aug. 29, 1941

In this film, the wife of a renowned doctor becomes ill with multiple sclerosis. Trying to spare her beloved husband the ordeal, the woman turns to a family friend, Dr. Lang, to help end her life. When this doctor declines to help with the assisted suicide, however, she is forced to turn to her husband. After much soul-searching, Dr. Heyt, her husband, assists in her suicide. The act, however, is witnessed by a chambermaid, who reports him to the police. Dr. Heyt is put on trial for murder and, at first, Dr. Lang testifies against him in court. Soon, however, Dr. Lang is faced with a similar case in his professional practice and this, along with Dr. Heyt’s impassioned performance in court, convinces Dr. Lang that, in some instances, mercy killing may be the right thing to do. A very rare film, which, no matter on which side of the debate you stand, has relevance to this very day.

I accuse

125 mins | Drama | Aug. 29, 1941

I accuse
In this film, the wife of a renowned doctor becomes ill with multiple sclerosis. Trying to spare her beloved husband the ordeal, the woman turns to a family friend, Dr. Lang, to help end her life. When this doctor declines to help with the assisted suicide, however, she is forced to turn to her husband. After much soul-searching, Dr. Heyt, her husband, assists in her suicide. The act, however, is witnessed by a chambermaid, who reports him to the police. Dr. Heyt is put on trial for murder and, at first, Dr. Lang testifies against him in court. Soon, however, Dr. Lang is faced with a similar case in his professional practice and this, along with Dr. Heyt’s impassioned performance in court, convinces Dr. Lang that, in some instances, mercy killing may be the right thing to do. A very rare film, which, no matter on which side of the debate you stand, has relevance to this very day.
IMDb rating 6.2
Producers Tobis Filmkunst
Original title Ich klage an
Directors Wolfgang Liebeneiner
Writers Hellmuth Unger, Eberhard Frowein, Wolfgang Liebeneiner

Cast

Heidemarie Hatheyer

as Hanna Heyt

Paul Hartmann

as Professor Dr. Thomas Heyt

Mathias Wieman

as Dr. Bernhard Lang

Margarete Haagen

as Berta Link

Albert Florath

as Prof. Schlüter

Ilse Fürstenberg

as Marie Günther

Karin Evans

as Erna Balg

Hans Nielsen

as Dr. Höfer

Franz Schafheitlin

as Rechtsanwalt Straten

Erich Ponto

as Prof. Werther

Ernst Sattler

as Major a.D. Döring

Just Scheu

as Dr. Scheu