Weiningers Nacht (1990)

Genres - Drama, Spirituality & Philosophy  |   Sub-Genres - Biopic [feature]  |   Run Time - 112 min.  |   Countries - Austria  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Synopsis by Clarke Fountain

Obsessed with and disgusted by his Jewish heritage, and equally obsessed with his homosexuality, the minor German philosopher Otto Weininger (Paulus Manker) managed to commit suicide at age 23 in the bedroom of Beethoven's last home on October 3, 1903. It seems that this twisted little man's great masterwork, which "scientifically" denigrated Jews and women, was viewed as a mere copy of their own work by the two men who had the power to recommend that it be published: Sigmund Freud and Paul Julius Moebius. At a time when many Jews were doing their best to hide their backgrounds through converting to Catholicism, Weininger, in a typically contrary fashion, attempted the same thing by converting to Protestantism. The story of this unappealing man's life is effectively told in flashbacks as he reviews the events and ideas of his life during his fateful final evening.

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Keywords

investigation, maniac, anti-Semitism, apartment, book, building, Christianity, doctor/nurse, evil, father, help, house, influence, journey, Judaism, judgment, landlady, memory, mental-illness, nudity, obsession, passion, past, philosophy, prejudice, psychology, questioning [police interrogation], racer, racism, religion, room, self-hate, separation, sexual, soul, suicide, suicide-attempt, torment, torture, visit, youth