History Lessons (1972)

• Year: 1972
• Released: 30 Sep 1973
• Country: West Germany, Italy
• Adwords: N/A
• IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068634/
• Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/history_lessons
• Metacritics: https://www.metacritic.com/movie/history-lessons
• Available in: 720p, 1080p,
• Language: German
• MPA Rating: Not Rated
• Genre: Drama, History
• Runtime: 85 min
• Writer: Bertolt Brecht, Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
• Director: Danièle Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
• Cast: Gottfried Bold, Johann Unterpertinger, Henri Ludwigg
• Keywords: woman director,

	6.5/10
	33% – Critics

History Lessons Storyline

A shot from a car coursing through Rome in 1972 opens this interpretation of Brecht’s unfinished experimental novel The Business Affairs of Mr. Julius Caesar. In a second part set in contemporary Rome, a young researcher discusses the economic and political manipulation that drove Caesar to power.

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History Lessons Movie Reviews

Difficult and rewarding

Far from being drivel, as another commentator has suggested, History Lessons is one of Straub and Huillet’s richest and most rewarding films. A young man from the present interviews a series of ancient Romans about the rise of Julius Caesar (the text is adapted from an unfinished novel by Brecht): what emerges is a brilliant (and funny) demythologization, an analysis of power whose contemporary relevance is underscored both by the young man’s obvious modernity and by his 3 long drives through modern Rome. Straub and Huillet refuse to cover over the myriad contradictions in their project (the anachronisms, artifice vs. documentary, etc.); instead they heighten these into a rich and challenging dialectic which demands of the viewer intense critical engagement and the patience to learn new ways of looking and thinking.

Drivel! An attempt to take my sanity.

I just watched “History Lessons” today in my Film Class. I was quite excited, my expectations were high and I was ready. It started off ok, but just got worse and worse over the 90 minutes which seemed like 4 or 5 hours. I understand it’s a very Brechtian idea from a couple of radical directors, but 30 minutes of this film is a guy driving around Rome. Another 30 minutes is two men sitting in silence. One minute of it is a water fountain. And the remaining 29 minutes is two German actors talking about Julius Caesar, but only about half of what the actors said was translated to the subtitles.

Although I do believe this film accomplished what it set out to do; to make absolutely no sense and to be totally unenjoyable.