MovieChat Forums > Barbara (2012) Discussion > Who was that man? spoiler

Who was that man? spoiler

posted 11 years ago by Anaheim92807
20 replies | jump to latest

Who was the man who B. was in love with? I understood that he lived in West German and was arranging for her to defect, but I never understood if he was her husband or boyfriend. The movie doesn't provide enough background on their relationship. And how did he manage to go back-and-forth between the two Germanies so easily. It didn't seem realistic. Also, I was left to believe that B. did not love her husband/boyfriend enough to go through with the defection in the end. She may have started to trust and fall in love with the doctor instead. Any thoughts?

[–] DogtownGirl 11 years ago

Anaheim, you reallllllly should have put what you did under a RED spoiler shield like this one, right here: See what I mean?

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See, this is why the film played out as it did. It wanted YOU / the viewer to put the pieces of the puzzle, or puzzlement, together for yourself! Beyond what we saw of B's beau onscreen, did it really matter who else he was? We were led to believe enough about him (again, go to see the film again and read the subtitles very carefully please) from what we saw and heard that ... well, that was enough for me.
He was rich, He was from the West, and he wanted a ladyfriend he could take care off, and pamper (much to B's ultimate annoyance, because he didn't respect her work, did he?)

Why was he able to go from West to East Germany? Because he had connections, in the form of his friend Gerhard for one and likely others, too. Also, from what I was able to understand, the Beau was able to go from West to East more easily because ... it was easier to go from West to East than it ever would have been to do the opposite. You know, I think East Germany wanted to encourage people coming into it, more so than it wanted to encourage people leaving it for any reason.

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[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

It wanted YOU / the viewer to put the pieces of the puzzle, or puzzlement, together for yourself!

Wrong. Without personal knowledge of the history (or external research) the audience simply doesn't know because the information isn't given (as proven by your other responses). No puzzle exists to put together.

Why was he able to go from West to East Germany? Because he had connections , in the form of his friend Gerhard for one and likely others, too.

Wrong. In regards to this, the writers only let you know he was a businessman and had a meeting in that hotel, and a few other vague tidbits. History/research would tell you that he had a visa (which was common) to travel back and forth for business. Watching the movie 10,000 times isn't going to give you that information, because there was no "puzzle" to put together on this issue.

the Beau was able to go from West to East more easily because ... it was easier to go from West to East

Wrong. The same visa that got you in, got you out.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

Who, you seem to like to troll and attack others' responses. While your strident opinions and fierce need to put others down, has already been duly noted (Another User has your same style, in fact. Now, are you he just under s different name?), I am still going to disagree with them, and maintain my stance as aforestated. You didn't see a puzzle? Well, I did, and that's OK as well!

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

"strident opinions"

I stated facts. Facts aren't up for debate.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

Also, Who, you seem to like to have things spelled out for you in films, whereas I like to wonder what might have been implied by what I hear and see, and/ or what isn't explained to the viewer outright.

Your username is curious, as well: Do you get off on ensnaring people and putting them down, as though your opinion were the sole right one to have and the truth and nothing but?

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

you seem to like to have things spelled out for you in films

Wrong again. Exactly the opposite.

I like to wonder what might have been implied

Historical facts are just that.

Do you get off on ensnaring people and putting them down

One should welcome facts and truth, not be hurt by them.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

I remain unhurt by facts and truisms, however I also remain offended by people to reply to my posts in the manner that you've chosen to do.

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

"remain offended"

Offended by the truth, obviously.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

Nope, you're wrong here. And that is the truth because what you have stated about how you perceive me to think and reason, is incorrect!

See, what offends me is how people disagree with me and not what they say.

Now, if you remain unable to fathom that then ... well, I can't help you any further, sorry.

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

Still playing the victim doesn't erase the facts.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

And .. WHEN has one ever stated that it did? And, "playing" at being anything ain't my bag / my style, either!

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

Who, from the manner in which you so strongly opine about matters, one'd be justified in thinking that you co-wrote the movie! I mean you seem to be ever so certain that YOUR interpretation of what was onscreen is the only one to have, and that everyone else is dead wrong!

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

one'd be justified in thinking that you co-wrote the movie!

So you have been so hurt by facts that you've resorted to attacks and ad hominem....(so far you say I am a "troll", have false identities, co-wrote the movie, etc..etc..).

YOUR interpretation

Simple facts. I haven't even begun to give an opinion yet.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

The assumptions that I have made about you, not cast in stone, are fair ones, in my opinion and you are certainly welcomed not to agree with them.

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] WhoisThePrisoner1 10 years ago

I simply stated facts about the movie, and you desperately decided to avoid those facts, and divert attention by you playing the victim and ad hominem attacks.

[–] DogtownGirl 10 years ago

That's fine but the manner in which you chose to do so, was a bit hostile!

** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **

[–] Xyzzy 11 years ago

THIS MIGHT ALL BE SPOILERS, I DUNNO. READ AT YOUR OWN PERIL!

Not her husband, pretty obviously. (How would she have come to be married to a West German?)

It seems to me that she thought of being in love with him, but then she met the other girl, and maybe saw a reflection of herself in that (and was taken aback). Especially when he had so little clue about her existence to say that he'd move to East Germany.

So, her choice became saving herself just because she could, and maybe feeling like a bit of a whore, or saving the girl and her child.

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[–] kickstand 11 years ago

It is not explained, but she meets him in an "INTERHOTEL". The Interhotels were East German hotels specifically for foreign visitors. Presumably he was a wealthy businessman who is allowed to cross the border, and that's how they met. Obviously he doesn't know her well enough to know that she would never leave her job.

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 10 years ago

He seemed to be a businessman who was allowed to move between the two jurisdictions.

He was in the Interhotel for foreign visitors. Also he had to leave Barbara in order to attend an important meeting downstairs, he may even had said a "board meeting."

So guess we can presume that during her time in the Berlin hospital, in a city that was more populated than the backwater, she met him on some occasion.

[–] LeofricsBeloved 8 years ago

Another film about East Germany, the acclaimed The Lives of Others, showed how East and West Germans traveled back and forth or defected.

Barbara was from East Berlin's prestigious Charite Hospital. If you call, she applied to leave East Germany (They incarcerated her for wanting to leave), presumably to be with Jorg, a West German - most likely a West Berliner.

Jorg supposedly does business between East and West Germany and can move around both countries. Barbara and Jorg, though from two different countries, most likely both lived in Berlin, even though it was divided along ideological and political lines - but it was still the same city, so quite close.

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