The crystal cell

For five years the architect Phillip Braun sat in prison, an innocent man sentenced for a crime he did not commit. The crime had been committed by a building contractor called Lasky, with whom Phillip had worked together. Lasky had framed him. But David Reinelt, Phillip's friend and lawyer was unable to prove that this was so in court.

Phillip Braun loses his job. He returns home to his wife Lisa, and Timmie, his eleven-year old son. He tries to sort out his life again. For a long time he has only been able to dream of doing this. In the meantime life has moved on and it isn't easy for him to find his feet. Affected by his spell in prison, he faces interim developments with increasing mistrust. There is the new flat which Lisa has rented in the interim period, there is the reticence he encounters from his son Timmie, and not least there is the suspicion that Lasky has been stirring up in him. Is Lisa having a relationship with David, his friend? Phillip increasingly loses his grip on reality and comes to believe that his wife is indeed having an affair. In doing so, he overlooks all the evidence of Lisa's love for him or interprets it wrongly. He becomes imprisoned by his feelings until when he meets David, he is "freed", and on the spur of the moment he kills him.

But there is a witness to this deed, Lasky. And now Phillip sees that he is faced with another threat. Lisa suspects him of having murdered David and Lasky attempts to blackmail him. Phillip can only see one way out of this situation..

Günther Strack: Goller | Klaus Münster: Prison warder | Hans Günter Martens: Director of public prosecutions | Christa-Maria Netsch: Sales girl | Gerlinde Egger: Girl | Bernhard Wicki: Inspector Österreicher

Director: Hans W. Geißendörfer | Authors: Hans W. Geißendörfer and Klaus Bädekerl | Cameraman: Robby Müller | Sound producer: Edward Parente | Cutting and editing: Peter Przygodda | Settings engineer: Heidi Lüdi | Costumes: Claudia Bobsin-Legany | Music: Niels Walen/Kuma and friends | Line production manager: Hans Weth | Senior production manager: Bernd Eichinger | Overall manager: Luggi Waldleitner

Production: Roxy-Film, Solaris-Film, Bayerischer Rundfunk | Length 2554 metres, colour, first shown 6.4.1978 | Festivals and awards: 1978 Bundesfilmpreis for the feature film making the best programme, gold film strip, in 1979 Oscar-nomination