Mother's Mask (1988): cast, story & where to watch
1988 · Film · ★ 4.7
Released in 1988, Mother's Mask is a comedy film directed by Christoph Schlingensief, running about 85 minutes. “Wer schreit hat recht!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Mutters Maske aka Mother's Mask is a free adaptation of the film Opfergang (1944) aka The Great Sacrifice of Veit Harlan. Schlingensief exposes his source material's dangerous proximity to kitsch and camp by reducing the genre conventions known from Harlan, Sirk, Fassbinder & Co to the level of a daily soap: set within a noble family from the German Ruhr, Schlingensief's story revolving about Willy von Mühlenbeck's tragic love to terminally ill neighbor girl Äls (Susanne Bredehöft) and the inheritance intrigues by his evil brother Martin von Mühlenbeck (Helge Schneider) creaks with melodramatic devices and self-conscious dialogues. Rather than being a mere spoof, "Mother's Mask" is perhaps Schlingensief's purest black comedy.
Who’s in it. Mother's Mask stars Brigitte Kausch as Mutter, Karl Friedrich Mews as Willy von Mühlenbeck, Helge Schneider as Martin von Mühlenbeck and Susanne Bredehöft as Els, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.7/10, Mother's Mask has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Mother's Mask page.
If you liked it. Fans of Mother's Mask tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Mother's Mask (1988)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for Mother's Mask change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is Mother's Mask worth watching?
- Mother's Mask holds an audience score of 4.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Mother's Mask?
- Mother's Mask stars Brigitte Kausch, Karl Friedrich Mews, Helge Schneider, Susanne Bredehöft and Anna Fechter.
- When was Mother's Mask released?
- Mother's Mask was released in 1988, with a runtime of about 85 minutes.