WE ARE GETTING DIVORCED

The more-or-less compulsory institution of marriage in state socialism went along officially with generous laws when it came to divorce. Merciful enough, if it weren’t for the realities that got in the way from the beginning. In the case of Reschke’s soggy, ironic perfect-East-Berliner-nuclear-family comedy (a genre rarity in the GDR), this means: Whereas the script called for a definitive separation of little Manni’s parents (including a perfectly arranged patchwork existence with a replacement daddy, who – would you look at that – is one of the crew building the TV tower!), the 11th plenary assembly of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany and socialist Germany’s obviously equally deep rootedness in the patriarchy ensured that things turned out differently. Yes, it is Grandpa who finally imposes drastic disciplinary measures: it’s back to wedlock for Manni’s mom and dad. Reschke’s spirited screwball emancipation romp in black and white manages to emerge unscathed regardless.