Buddenbrooks (2008): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Buddenbrooks is a 2008 historical drama directed by Heinrich Breloer, starring Iris Berben as Konsulin Bethsy Buddenbrook, Armin Mueller-Stahl and Jessica Schwarz. It is partly based on Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann and John E. Woods. It runs 2 hours 31 minutes and earned $12.6 million worldwide.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 31m (151 min)
- Director
- Heinrich Breloer
- Original language
-
German - Studio
- Colonia Media
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Buddenbrooks About?
The premise of Buddenbrooks without spoilers, adapted from Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann and John E. Woods. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In mid‑19th‑century Lübeck, a Baltic‑sea trading hub, the saga tracks the fourth generation of the Buddenbrook family as siblings Thomas and Tony approach marriage. Their lives are repeatedly thwarted by mounting financial strain and personal setbacks that erode family bonds and test their perseverance.
Buddenbrooks Themes & Keywords
· 17 tags- tooth extraction
- imperial germany
- mother son relationship
- mother daughter relationship
- husband wife relationship
- father son relationship
- father daughter relationship
- family relationships
- brother sister relationship
- wealth
- salesman
- one word title
+5 more Show fewer
- northern germany
- bourgeoisie
- ancestry
- 19th century
- based on novel
Buddenbrooks Cast & Characters
Iris Berben leads the cast as Konsulin Bethsy Buddenbrook, with Armin Mueller-Stahl as Johann Buddenbrook and Jessica Schwarz as Antonia Buddenbrook. Directed by Heinrich Breloer; 54 actors are credited in all.
- Director Heinrich Breloer
-
Iris Berben as Konsulin Bethsy Buddenbrook - Armin Mueller-Stahl as Johann Buddenbrook
- Jessica Schwarz as Antonia Buddenbrook
- Julius Terhedebrügge as Thomas Buddenbrook - als Kind
Also Starring in Buddenbrooks
· 50 more- Hannah Corogil Tony Buddenbrook - als Kind
- Mark Waschke Thomas Buddenbrook
- August Diehl Christian Buddenbrook
- Leonard Proxauf Christian Buddenbrook - als Kind
- Justus von Dohnányi Bendix Grünlich
- Léa Bosco Gerda Buddenbrook
- Nina Proll Aline Puvogel
- Martin Feifel Alois Permaneder
- Raban Bieling Hanno Buddenbrook
- Ruben Ortlieb Hanno Buddenbrook - 5 Jahre
- André Hennicke Gosch
- Sunnyi Melles Senatorin Möllendorpf
- Alexander Fehling Morten Schwarzkopf
- Fedja van Huêt Hermann Hagenström
- Sylvester Groth Kesselmeyer
- Jürgen Rißmann Diener Anton
Show all 54 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Katharina M. Schubert Eva Ewers
- Maximilian von Pufendorf René Maria von Trotha
- Josef Ostendorf Senator James Möllendorpf
- Teresa Harder Ida Jungmann
- Cas Enklaar Van Kellen
- Michael Abendroth Dr. Friedrich Grabow
- Martin Horn Carl Smolt
- Tonio Arango Stephan Kistenmaker
- Uwe Rohde
- Krijn ter Braak Meneer Arnoldsen
- Brigitte Janner
- Sarah-Lavinia Schmidbauer Babette
- Nicholas Reinke Peter Döhlmann
- Thomas Meinhardt Prokurist Friedrich Wilhelm Marcus
- Maja Schöne Anna
- Jan Peter Heyne Zahnrzt Dr. Brecht
- Wolfgang Hinze Hinrich Hagenström
- Peter Clös Postbote Telegramm
- Ina Holst Cook
- Frank-Leo Schröder Berkemeyer
- Marion Gretchen Schmitz Sterbeschwester Leandra
- Martin Rentzsch Pastor Pringsheim
- Tim Reingruber Senatsbote
- Anne Schramm Küchenmagd Trine
- Jan-Hendrik Kiefer Kai von Mölln
- Elert Bode Konsul Lebrecht Kröger
- Ariella Hirshfeld Julchen Hagenström
- Lisa Hofer Folgemädchen
- Matthias Deutelmoser Dr. Giesecke
- Daniela Merz Martha Huneus
- Valentin Markmann Hermann Hagenström - als Kind
- Hans-Christoph Michel Lieferant (uncredited)
- Andreas von Steegen Bürgermeister Overdieck
- Michael Witte
Buddenbrooks Plot Summary
What happens in Buddenbrooks from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
The film traces the Buddenbrook family across three generations: Jean Buddenbrook, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and his wife Bethsy Buddenbrook, Iris Berben, as their sons Thomas Buddenbrook, Mark Waschke, and Christian Buddenbrook, August Diehl, come of age under the pressure to subordinate personal happiness to the survival of the family business. Their daughter Tony Buddenbrook, Jessica Schwarz, is married off early to Bendix Grünlich, Justus von Dohnányi, a rising Hamburg businessman whose fortunes soon fail, forcing the family to confront a painful reality: wealth can hinge on fragile, quick-changing markets as much as on hard work.
Full summary
The whole story of Buddenbrooks, scene by scene
Buddenbrooks Box Office
Buddenbrooks grossed $12.6 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$12.6M
- International
- $12.6M
How Well Do You Know Buddenbrooks?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the patriarch of the Buddenbrook family?
Seen Buddenbrooks?
Movies Like Buddenbrooks
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Buddenbrooks - 1. Teil, Buddenbrooks - 2. Teil and Die Buddenbrooks.
Buddenbrooks FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, the book behind it, post-credit scenes and language of Buddenbrooks, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Buddenbrooks?
Buddenbrooks runs 2 hours 31 minutes (151 minutes).
When was Buddenbrooks released?
Buddenbrooks was released on December 24, 2008.
Who directed Buddenbrooks?
Buddenbrooks was directed by Heinrich Breloer.
More films by Heinrich Breloer Who is in the cast of Buddenbrooks?
Buddenbrooks stars Iris Berben as Konsulin Bethsy Buddenbrook, Armin Mueller-Stahl as Johann Buddenbrook and Jessica Schwarz as Antonia Buddenbrook, among 54 credited actors.
How much did Buddenbrooks make at the box office?
Buddenbrooks grossed $12.6 million worldwide.
Is Buddenbrooks based on a book?
Yes. Buddenbrooks is partly adapted from Buddenbrooks by Thomas Mann and John E. Woods.
Does Buddenbrooks have a post-credit scene?
No. Buddenbrooks has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Buddenbrooks in?
The original language of Buddenbrooks is German.
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