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Documentary re-examines Pabst’s private life through his wife Gertrude’s story
Angela Christlieb’s documentary examines the private life of Austrian film-maker GW Pabst through family interviews, letters and photographs, placing his wife Gertrude at the centre of the story. It matters because it challenges the image of a celebrated director whose early films championed strong-willed women, revealing a more troubling home life.
Pabst’s grandchildren recall him as distant and intimidating, while the film describes how he prevented Gertrude from pursuing acting and that she had seven abortions, reportedly to avoid disrupting his career. The review praises the archive material but says scenes from Pabst’s films create strained links between his art and private life, and detours into his grandchildren’s careers leave Gertrude’s story underdeveloped. The documentary is available on True Story from 2 October.
In short
- Documentary explores Pabst’s private life and his wife Gertrude’s experiences.
- Family accounts portray him as distant and patriarchal.
- Rich archive material is let down by structural missteps.
Explained simply
GW Pabst was an influential Austrian film-maker whose early works were celebrated for portraying strong-willed female characters. A new documentary by Angela Christlieb investigates the private life behind this public reputation, examining Pabst's marriage to Gertrude through family interviews, letters and photographs.
The documentary reveals a contrasting picture of Pabst's personal relationships. According to the film, based on accounts from his grandchildren and family documents, Pabst was emotionally distant as a family man and prevented his wife Gertrude from pursuing her own acting career. Gertrude also underwent multiple abortions, reportedly to avoid disrupting her husband's career.
The documentary is significant because it highlights the gap between Pabst's artistic work and his personal life. By examining this contrast through archive material and scenes from his films, it invites viewers to consider how an artist's creative values might differ from their conduct in private relationships.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Pandora’s Legacy review – probing profile of silent film legend GW Pabst”.