German biopic. AKA: Gabriele Muenter – In the shadow of Kandinsky
A gifted pair of lovers: Gabriele Münter and Wassily Kandinsky, co-founder of the German modern-art movement “Blauer Reiter.” While he was granted fame, artistic and financial recognition, she wasted away in his shadow.
Given the topic, you would expect this to be serious and arty, but the love scenes play out like a 1990s straight-to-cable film from Zalman King. Same swirling camera; same cheesy background music. When you see the lovers in action, you half expect to see Joan Severance and Billy Zane.
I suppose that Gabriele Muenter may have been left in Kandinsky’s shadow because women were relegated to second class status in that time and place, as has so often happened throughout the history of the world.
Or (and bear with me on this as I use some complex art analysis) … it could just be that her paintings really sucked.
As ol’ Mel Allen used to say, “You make the call.”