Edgar Reitzs 11-part epic remains one of the most ambitious features ever produced. Chronicling life in the Rhineland village of Schabbach from 1919-82, it succeeds in juggling numerous plotlines without resorting to melodrama or caricature.
Moreover, its courageous in its discussion of the impact of political change on the average German. The ensemble is excellent, although Marita Breuer stands out as the matriarch who survives the desertion of her husband, the rise of Nazism and the feud between her three sons with enviable stoicism.