THE campy German drama “Four Minutes,” written and directed by Chris Kraus, has it all: Nazis, lesbians, women behind bars and the music of Robert Schumann.
The setting is a women’s prison, where 80-year-old Traude teaches piano to a grand total of four inmates. She has worked at the prison since World War II, when it was run as a Nazi hospital.
As you might imagine, life for Traude (Monica Bleibtreu) isn’t very exciting. Then Jenny von Loeben, a 20-year-old killer, arrives. As a child, Jenny was a successful classical pianist, but life didn’t work out the way she would have liked.
The older woman doesn’t approve of the way Jenny improvises “Negro music” at the piano, but she recognizes her talent and decides to help Jenny enter a national piano competition for people under 21.
The press notes say that first-timer Hannah Herzsprung, who portrays the tough-looking Jenny, underwent six months of intensive piano coaching.
She learned well, judging by her piano-thumping finale. It’s part Jerry Lee Lewis and part Glenn Gould.
In German, with English subtitles. Running time: 112 minutes. Not rated (mature themes). At Cinema Village, 12th Street, east of Fifth Avenue.