Arquivo

The adaptation of Thomas Mann’s Nobel Prize-Winning novel of 1900. Touching upon the fate of three generations, we witness the rise and fall of a merchant family in Northern Germany. In a society that is poised to change, family values seem doomed to change with it. Personal longings that were supposed to be sacrificed for the greater good of the family business now threaten to break apart a dynasty that was characterized by diligence, hard work, faith and respect. While Thomas wills to fill the void of their father, Consul Jean, and to steer the firm through the times of modernization, his brother Christian is trying to break away from any responsibility. We find him in dubious company, marrying a woman from a vaudeville show, rebelling against everything their father stood up for. It is left to their sister, Tony, who sacrifices her true love for the sake of the family’s fortune, to hold the family ties together. But when their competitor Hagenström proves to have the better instinct for the changing needs of the market, even her influence seems to vanish…