Jacob the Liar (1974): Cast, Plot & Where to Watch
Jacob the Liar is a 1974 historical drama directed by Frank Beyer, starring Vlastimil Brodský as Jakob Heym, Henry Hübchen and Hermann Beyer. It runs 1 hour 40 minutes. Stream it on Kanopy.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 40m (100 min)
- Director
- Frank Beyer
- Original language
-
German - Studio
- DEFA
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Jacob the Liar About?
The premise of Jacob the Liar without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
In a 1944 Eastern European Jewish ghetto, Jakob Heym accidentally hears a German broadcast announcing the Soviet advance. To keep his friend Mischa from risking his life for food, he pretends to own a hidden radio—a crime punishable by death. The rumor spreads, giving the ghetto new hope, and Jakob is forced to invent increasingly elaborate stories to sustain the illusion.
Jacob the Liar Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- reference to winston churchill
- year 1944
- cigarette smoking
- tragic event
- male slaps a female
- man slaps a girl
- saving a life
- character name as title
- three word title
- jacob the liar character
- europe
- pipe smoking
+38 more Show fewer
- literature on screen
- european literature on screen
- german literature on screen
- 20th century literature on screen
- radio
- ghetto
- secret
- jew
- hope
- central europe
- cloud
- jewish ghetto
- suicide
- death
- curfew
- hoax
- blackout
- transport
- talking to a dead body
- european history
- crying male
- crying
- crying man
- talking with the dead
- male friendship
- loss of friend
- talking to the dead
- suicide by hanging
- suicidal
- learning the truth
- cutting hair
- cutting someone's hair
- shaving someone
- razor shave
- shave
- bechdel test passed
- deportation
- teenage girl
Where to Watch Jacob the Liar
Stream it on Kanopy. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Stream 1
Kanopy Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
Jacob the Liar Cast & Characters
Vlastimil Brodský leads the cast as Jakob Heym, with Henry Hübchen as Mischa and Hermann Beyer as Wachhabender. Directed by Frank Beyer; 27 actors are credited in all.
- Director Frank Beyer
- Vlastimil Brodský as Jakob Heym
- Henry Hübchen as Mischa
- Hermann Beyer as Wachhabender
- Armin Mueller-Stahl as Roman Schlamm
Also Starring in Jacob the Liar
· 23 more- Dezső Garas Frankfurter
- Friedrich Richter Dr. Kirschbaum
- Erwin Geschonneck Kowalski
- Margit Bara Josefa
- Blanche Kommerell Rose Frankfurter
- Fred Ludwig
- Zsuzsa Gordon Mrs. Frankfurter
- Peter Pauli
- Hans-Peter Reinecke
- Edwin Marian
- Reimar Johannes Baur Herschel Schlamm
- Wilfried Zander
- Peter Sturm
- Eckhard Bilz
- Gabriele Gysi
- Klaus Brasch
Show all 27 cast members Show fewer cast members
Jacob the Liar Plot Summary
What happens in Jacob the Liar from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 10 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Jakob Heym Vlastimil Brodský sits in a crowded Jewish ghetto in German-occupied Poland, where danger and hunger shape every moment. One night, a watchtower guard Hermann Beyer detains him for supposedly breaking curfew, ordering him to report to a German military office. Though the officer is asleep when Jakob arrives, a radio broadcast nearby announces Soviet Army advances, offering a sliver of news in a world built on silence and fear. The guard ultimately sends Jakob home, whether by mistake or intention, leaving him to wonder what really happened and what might come next.
Full summary
The whole story of Jacob the Liar, scene by scene
Jacob the Liar Trailers & Videos
2 videos: 1 trailer and 1 clip.
- Clip Clip
Jacob the Liar Also Known As
10 alternative titles, including “Jakub Ihar” and “Jakub Luhar”.
- Also known as
-
- Jakub Ihar
- Jakub Luhar
- Jakob, il bugiardo
- Jacob le menteur
- Jakob, el Mentiroso
- יעקב השקרן
- Ιάκωβος
- Ο Ψεύτης
- 撒谎者雅各布
- Jakub lhář
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Jacob the Liar FAQ: Where to Watch, Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, where to watch, post-credit scenes and language of Jacob the Liar, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Jacob the Liar?
Jacob the Liar runs 1 hour 40 minutes (100 minutes).
When was Jacob the Liar released?
Jacob the Liar was released on December 22, 1974.
Who directed Jacob the Liar?
Jacob the Liar was directed by Frank Beyer.
More films by Frank Beyer Who is in the cast of Jacob the Liar?
Jacob the Liar stars Vlastimil Brodský as Jakob Heym, Henry Hübchen as Mischa and Hermann Beyer as Wachhabender, among 27 credited actors.
Where can I watch Jacob the Liar?
In the US, Jacob the Liar is streaming on Kanopy (availability from JustWatch).
Does Jacob the Liar have a post-credit scene?
No. Jacob the Liar has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Jacob the Liar in?
The original language of Jacob the Liar is German.
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