Kafka (film)

Kafka is a 1991 mystery thriller film^[1] directed by Steven Soderbergh, from a screenplay by Lem Dobbs. Ostensibly a biopic based on the life of Franz Kafka, the film blurs the lines between fact and Kafka's fiction (most notably The Castle and The Trial), creating a Kafkaesque atmosphere. It stars Jeremy Irons in the title role, with Theresa Russell, Ian Holm, Jeroen Krabbé, Joel Grey, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Alec Guinness. Simon McBurney appears in his film debut.

Kafka
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Steven Soderbergh
Written by	Lem Dobbs
Produced by	Harry Benn Stuart Cornfeld
Starring	Jeremy Irons Theresa Russell Joel Grey Ian Holm Jeroen Krabbé Armin Mueller-Stahl Alec Guinness
Cinematography	Walt Lloyd
Edited by	Steven Soderbergh
Music by	Cliff Martinez
Production companies	Baltimore Pictures Pricel Renn Productions
Distributed by	Miramax Films (United States) AMLF (France)
Release date	November 15, 1991 (1991-11-15)
Running time	98 minutes
Countries	United States France[1]
Language	English
Budget	$12 million[2]
Box office	$1.1 million

Released after Soderbergh's critically acclaimed debut Sex, Lies, and Videotape it was the first of what would be a series of low-budget box-office disappointments. It has since become a cult film, being compared to Terry Gilliam's Brazil and David Cronenberg's Naked Lunch.^[3]

Plot

In 1919 Prague, Franz Kafka leads a seemingly ordinary life as an insurance adjuster while secretly nurturing his passion for writing. His routine existence is disrupted when one of his co-workers is found murdered under mysterious circumstances. Kafka's curiosity and sense of justice compel him to investigate the death, drawing him into a shadowy and dangerous world.

As Kafka delves deeper, he discovers an underground anarchist group operating in secret. This group is committed to exposing and dismantling a powerful and enigmatic organization that exerts control over society's most significant events. The anarchists believe that this organization is responsible for widespread oppression and manipulation, and they have resorted to bombings and other acts of sabotage to disrupt its operations. Kafka becomes increasingly involved with the group, forming a connection with Gabriela Rossman, a passionate and determined member who guides him through the group's activities and objectives.

Kafka's investigation leads him to uncover a series of conspiracies and unsettling truths. His journey takes him to a foreboding castle, which serves as the headquarters of the secret organization. Within the castle, Kafka discovers horrifying experiments and evidence of the organization's far-reaching influence over society. The castle itself is a labyrinthine structure, symbolizing the impenetrable and oppressive nature of the organization's power.

As Kafka infiltrates the castle, he confronts the organization's leaders and their methods of control. The experience forces him to grapple with profound questions about morality, freedom, and the nature of resistance. The story blurs the boundaries between Kafka's reality and the themes of his literary works, particularly the nightmarish and surreal elements that characterize his writing.

In the climactic moments, Kafka must decide whether to embrace his role as an unwitting hero or succumb to the overwhelming forces arrayed against him. His confrontation with the organization serves as both a personal and philosophical reckoning, testing his courage and resolve in the face of an oppressive and enigmatic system.

Cast

• Jeremy Irons as Franz Kafka
• Theresa Russell as Gabriela Rossman
• Joel Grey as Mr. Burgel
• Ian Holm as Doctor Murnau
• Jeroen Krabbé as Mr. Bizzlebek
• Armin Mueller-Stahl as Inspector Grubach
• Alec Guinness as the Chief Clerk
• Brian Glover as Castle henchman
• Keith Allen as Assistant Ludwig
• Simon McBurney as Assistant Oscar
• Robert Flemyng as Keeper of the Files
• Ion Caramitru as Solemn anarchist
• Josef Abrhám as Friend of Kafka
• Guy Fithen as Friend of Kafka
• Ondrej Havelka as Friend of Kafka
• Jerome Flynn as Castle attendant
• Ewan Stewart as Castle attendant
• Jim McPhee as Castle attendant
• Petr Jákl as Quarry labourer
• David Jensen as Laughing man

Production

Lem Dobbs' original screenplay was more of a straightforward biopic of Franz Kafka, but Soderbergh rewrote it because he wanted to create a “mystery thriller, not a biography.”^[1] Dobbs was dissatisfied with Soderbergh's changes, and the two would not work again until The Limey in 1999.

Isabelle Adjani and Anne Parillaud were both considered for the role of Gabriela.^[1] Parillaud was cast in the part, and even filmed with Soderbergh and Irons, but left after several days due to language barriers.^[1]

Filming took place on-location in Kafka's hometown of Prague, and at Barrandov Studios. Soderbergh elected to shoot most of the film in black-and-white to evoke German expressionism.^[1] Two weeks of reshoots took place at Pinewood Studios in England.^[1]

Reception

Kafka was met with mixed reviews from critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 55%, based on 22 reviews. The website's consensus reads, "Kafka does not rise to the artistic success of its subject, struggling to approximate the nightmarish absurdity that defined the author's work despite thoughtful direction by Steven Soderbergh and a gorgeous black and white color palette."^[4]

Awards and nominations

Institution	Year	Category	Work	Result
Independent Spirit Awards	1992	Best Screenplay	Lem Dobbs	Nominated
		Best Cinematography	Walt Lloyd	Won
Turkish Film Critics Association	1994	Best Foreign Film	Steven Soderbergh	4th place

Alternate version

In a 2013 interview with Vulture, Soderbergh stated that the rights to the film had reverted to him and executive producer Paul Rassam and that work had begun on a "completely different" version of the film.^[5] Soderbergh reported that he and Lem Dobbs did some rewriting, inserts were shot during the making of Side Effects, and he planned to dub the film into German and release both the original and new version together.^[5] In 2020, he announced he had finished the new version and would release it as part of a box set.^[6][7] The new version, titled Mr. Kneff,^[8] debuted at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.^[9]