Oscar winning actor Maximillian (Judgment at Nuremberg) Schell directed The Pedestrian, a court drama about the trial of an elderly war criminal.
The film, which was a co-production of companies in Germany, Switzerland and Israel, was distributed in the U.S. by Cinerama Releasing Corporation.
My Oscar Book:
The Premise:
A tabloid newspaper is investigating the life of industrialist and state parliament member Heinz Alfred Giese, following a car accident that resulted in the death of his son Andreas.
Although a case for negligent homicide was dropped due to evidence that Andreas had interfered with the steering wheel, Giese’s driver’s license was revoked, and he was sentenced to traffic lessons. Sensing a scandal, the tabloid delves into Giese’s past.
The film was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, but it did not win; the winner was Truffaut’s French comedy, Day for Night.
Cast
Peggy Ashcroft – Lady Gray
Gertrud Bald – Henriette Markowitz
Elisabeth Bergner – Frau Lilienthal
Lil Dagover – Frau Eschenlohr
Käthe Haack – Frau von Rautenfeld
Peter Hall – Rudolf Hartmann
Ruth Hausmeister – Inge Marie Giese
Dagmar Hirtz – Elke Giese
Johanna Hofer – Frau Bergedorf
Silvia Hürlimann – Hilde
Christian Kohlund – Erwin Gotz
Walter Kohut – Dr. Rolf Meineke
Alexander May – Alexander Markowitz
Herbert Mensching – Reporter
Peter Moland – Reporter
Françoise Rosay – Madame Dechamps
Maximilian Schell – Andreas Giese
Margarete Schell Noé – Frau Buchmann
Norbert Schiller – Himself
Credits:
Release date: Sep 6, 1973
Running time: 97 minutes
