The Vintagent Trailers: A preview of our favorite feature films out there.
THE GLORY OF LIFE (2024)
Run Time: 1:38:00
Producer: Tempest Film, Lotus Film, Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF)
Director: Judith Kaufmann, Georg Maas
Writer: Georg Maas, Michael Gutmann, Michael Kumpfmüller
Key Cast: Henriette Confurius, Sabin Tambrea, Manuel Rubey
FILM MAKERS
“…I ride my motorbike a lot, I bathe a lot, I lie naked in the grass by the pond for a long time. I’m in the park until midnight with a girl I’m in love with in a complicated manner…” – Franz Kafka to Max Brod, 1907
Kafka rode a motorcycle? His letters allude to a love of motorcycling, though no details or photographs remain. But where history ends, fiction thrives. In the novel, ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ by Helen Fielding (1996) and the subsequent film of the same name, the obscure fact becomes the title of a manuscript that passes through the publishing house where Bridget Jones works. “Will whoever has thoughtlessly removed the edited script of KAFKA’S MOTORBIKE from my desk PLEASE have the decency to return it immediately.” The contents of the book are not revealed, but must be compelling as Jones is invited later that year to a “glittering literary launch of ‘Kafka’s Motorbike’. Following the film’s success, fans picked up where the book and film left off and fact turned fiction became lore. Google “Kafka’s Motorbike” and you’ll discover that it is “the greatest book of all time”.
“Franz Kafka: novelist, insurance broker…motorcyclist? Marking the centenary of the writer’s death, Ivan Margolius uncovers some of his little-known connections to the world of motoring.” – The Automobile
Now, one hundred years after Kafka’s death, Ivan Margolius confirms In his article ‘Kafka’s Motorcycle‘ published in the January 2025 issue of ‘The Automobile’, that Kafka did indeed ride for leisure and encouraged others to do the same, but that the connection went deeper. In the article, Margolius explores Kafka’s work in the burgeoning insurance industry where having studied as a lawyer, he was employed by day to support his writing. Kafka’s work there, says Margolius, directly “contributed to the establishment of motor insurance in Austro-Hungary”, an assignment that he seems to have sought out and embraced. The article is fascinating and well worth the UK postage.
SUMMARY
The last year in Franz Kafka’s life and its surprising love story.
In this emotional, elegantly realized romantic historical drama, filmmakers Georg Maas and Judith Kaufmann sensitively sketch the last year in the life of novelist Franz Kafka and the love he experiences with Dora Diamant, a Polish Jewish woman he meets on holiday at the Baltic Sea. Stricken by tuberculosis, the 40-year-old Czech writer is suddenly facing the unthinkable—happiness—at the moment that his health is most dramatically failing him. After a mutual instantaneous attraction, the two move in together in Berlin, but when he must relocate to a sanatorium in Austria, Dora makes the decision to join him, bringing joy to his final days. Starring Henriette Confurius and Sabin Tambrea as the tragic lovers, The Glory of Life, adapted from an acclaimed book by German writer Michael Kumpfmüller by the same name, takes an uplifting approach to its material, telling its story with dignity, humor, and poignant joy.
In NYC? The Film screens tomorrow, Feb 27th at Lincoln Center as part of the New York Jewish Film Festival. buy Tickets HERE.
RELATED MEDIA
Read The Glory of Life, by Michael Kumpfmüller
Read Franz Kafka!
Any guess as to what bike they used in the film?
I’m working on finding out the model used in the film which is set in Trest where Kafka spent summers with his uncle Siegfried Löwy. Supposedly Kafka convinced his uncle, who was a doctor, to purchase a bike to be able to visit patients easier.
He bought a 1903 245cc Puch type A and later, after a ln accident replaced it with a 1913 3.5hp NSU. It would be assumed that the bike Kafka rode while on holiday would have been this same NSU.
Franz Kafka .. a literary and philosophical favorite . Especially in these Kafkaesque to the power of ten times we’re in .
Even named my Mercedes SUV ‘ Franz ‘ .. Kafka when things are as they are today … Klammer when things are good or we’re in ski country
A personal aside … I had no clue ( shame on me ) that Franz was into motorcycles when I titled a recent composition ” Kafka Rides the High Plains ” … ahhh … kismet .. when its good … its very good
So here’s hoping this film will make its way to streaming / PPV / or DVD …. because this … will be watched by me and mine many times …
Ten points to the power of 300 Corrina … this gem is beyond all thats come before .. for a multitude of reasons
Shalom …..
PS; The book of the same title is now on order
Danken dir .
I couldn’t agree more. And it was a pop up mid article on The NY Times for the NY Jewish Film Festival, which used this film’s motorcycle image as their promo! Kafka rode a motorcycle??? I immediately googled and found the rest.
While I consider myself a well read fan of Kafka, I had no idea how many books of letters had been published and had never read those tidbits. Bridget Jones diary is very much not my cup of tea, and I won’t say it was a pleasure, but I can assure you that I listened to the book in its entirety (while in my shop making motorcycle seats) to be sure I’d done my research thoroughly. Ha!
While I mention that no further details or photos exist, I assume that’s accurate because Kafka has been so widely researched… but who knows. Maybe an old school records search will unearth a motorcycle sales receipt or more fittingly, an insurance policy. You never know!
As Paul d’Or would say… “there’s always a motorcycle!”
Don’t know if you know this or not … but the State of Israel …. stole Kafka’s entire archives lock stock and notebook … from its rightful owners via international courts
Which is ironic because the majority of European Jews rejected Kafka’s writing ( while secular Germans Austrians etc and westerners love it ) … to the point of condemning it … right up till the point when Israel stole the collection from its rightful owner ( Kafka left everything to his friend and surviving family ) Once the Kafka archive was established .. now suddenly he’s their hero ?
Hmmmm ….
Suffice it to say .. hmmm … I’ll bet from my tone … you know !
As for what Kafka road M/C wise … a quick trawl comes up with everything from an NSU to a bloody Matchless ( Matchless ? ) … hmm … seems a very deep dig into the archives would be needed …
On the genuinely ironic … there’s a Road Bicycle manufacture in Prague that builds a Kafka influenced ( huh ??? ) CF road bike …. hmm …. not so sure I’d ride a Kafka influenced much of anything in light of the real meaning of Kafkaesque …. can you say … ” Song of the Sausage Creature ” ?
Hmmm … perhaps though in regards to all the above …. Kafkaesque is kind of the whole point … from beyond the grave no less .
😎
FYI … on the literal theft of Kafka’s archives …. there was a book about it who’s title I’ve forgotten … but the NYTimes … the Atlantic … even the Times of Israel ( the article ironically titled ” How an Israel that Never Liked Franz Kafka Came to own His Library Archives ” ) covered the ugly story extensively .
Suffice it to say …. the courts were wrong … proving once again … just because you or anyone else has an ironclad will … that given the motivation … some powerful outside individual or entity can’t come in and change it to THEIR benefit
Sad thing is … try and access those archives .. unless you’re Israeli or a Jewish Scholar … for all practical purposes … they are under lock and key
After reviewing the history of Kafka’s last year(s) … and reading the reviews overseas of both the movie and the book .. one must go into this realizing they are a Biopic and a Historical ‘ Novel ‘ making the actual history portrayed questionable at best ( distorted timelines … created scenarios etc )
But .. to be blunt … I’ll still watch the film and buy the book … for one thing because of the beautiful cinematography …. not to mention the beautiful script and acting ,,,and the inherit joy ( which is contrary to all Kafka was ) of the book … recognizing the fiction sprinkled with history ,,, and … hoping both will introduce an even larger audience to the writings of Franz Kafka .
As for the motorcycle …. yup … he did ride .. and enjoyed it ( within his limited emotional abilities ) … but what he rode for certain ? Can’t find that anywhere … nor can I find what the bike was in the film … so hopefully Corrina will have both the resources and patience I do not
GTR … aka ‘ Kafka on the High Plains ‘
… which is to say … this is one of those rare biopics who’s sheer beauty and artistry outweigh the historical inaccuracies .
Ecco … basta .. nuff from me … jes waiting and hoping Corrina comes up with the answers to the M/C questions .
Ciao 😎
( ahh the joys of being raised multicultural .. regardless of what the idiot quisling sycophants incapable of critical thinking may say … )