A TV drama on Arte shows what can result from a seemingly harmless holiday flirt. Why the film “The spoken word counts” is worth seeing.
Berlin – summer, sun, beach and sea – it hardly works anymore. A German vacationer is flirted with by a young Turkish man – and soon afterwards a drama takes its course. This can now be seen in the film “The spoken word applies”, this Wednesday (8:15 pm) on Arte.
The pilot Marion (Anne Ratte-Polle) is on vacation for a few days in beautiful Marmaris on the Turkish Riviera. Shortly before, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer; before the operation, her boyfriend Raphael (Godehard Giese) had given her the trip as a gift. But as soon as they arrive, they argue – he would like to move in with her and start a family with his little daughter. Marion doesn’t want that, however. So he leaves early.
On the beach she meets a young man from Anatolia named Baran (Ogulcan Arman Uslu), gigolo and kitchen helper. He can’t really land with her, but manages to persuade her to take him to Hamburg – where they enter into a marriage of convenience. The title comes from the ceremony: “The spoken word counts”.
Although she lives in the house of her deceased parents, she gets him a small apartment and even a job in airport handling, he learns German quickly and passes the driver’s license test. Gradually, the deal between the two – no more problems, no police – evolves. Feelings come into play.
Author and director İlker Çatak (37, “Tatort: Borowski and the good person”, ran last Sunday) tells his film in three chapters, which he headlines like in a language course: I was, I am, I will be. He gives the two main characters plenty of room to develop, they could hardly be more different.
On the one hand, the self-confident, somewhat brittle and reserved, but also vulnerable loner who basically shies away from a steady relationship. Her motives for helping Baran so much remain unclear – Marion probably doesn’t know them herself. On the other hand, there is the much younger and very clever man who wants to escape from his rather miserable life, makes an unbelievably determined effort, is very emotional and grateful and can very well imagine a family.
As an actor, the newcomer Ogulcan Arman Uslu (“Robber Hands”) can keep up with his accomplished colleague Anne Ratte-Polle (47, “Dark”, “Undine”). The two play an unusually strong, equally unusual couple who respect each other from the start and meet at eye level – both are also very personable and mutually impressed. The film also tells about immigration and integration, but above all it is a touching and bitter love story, right up to the logical end. Definitely worth seeing. dpa
