Bella Martha (2001)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Sandra Nettelbeck

Writer:

Sandra Nettelbeck (writer)

Release Date:

18 April 2002 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Drama

Tagline:

In Martha's enchanted kitchen, more than the food is starting to simmer. With some special ingredients they just might discover a recipe for passion.

Plot:

When a headstrong chef takes charge of her equally stubborn 8-year-old niece, the tensions between them mount... until an Italian sous-chef arrives to lighten the mood.

Plot Keywords:

Chef | Cooking | Restaurant | Car Accident | Italian

Awards:

14 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Martina Gedeck	...	Martha Klein
Maxime Foerste	...	Lina Klein (Martha's niece)
Sergio Castellitto	...	Mario
August Zirner	...	Martha's Therapist
Sibylle Canonica	...	Frida
Katja Studt	...	Lea
Antonio Wannek	...	Carlos
Idil Üner	...	Bernadette
Oliver Broumis	...	Jan
Ulrich Thomsen	...	Sam Thalberg
Gerhard Garbers	...	Herr Steinberg
Angela Schmidt	...	Frau Steinberg
Diego Ribon	...	Giuseppe Lorenzo
W.D. Sprenger	...	Noisy customer
Victoria Trauttmansdorff	...	Companion (as Victoria Trauttmannsdorff)

Also Known As:

Mostly Martha (International: English title) (UK) (USA)
Drei Sterne (Germany) (working title)
Martha (Germany) (working title)
Ricette d'amore (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated PG thematic material and mild language.

Runtime:

109 min | Japan:105 min

Country:

Italy | Germany | Austria | Switzerland

Language:

German | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL | Norway:A | Spain:T | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Hamburg, Germany

Company:

Arte

Trivia:

Sergio Castellitto's German wasn't good enough so Frank Glaubrecht was brought in to dub his voice for the German version.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mario and Lina get ready to cook dinner at Martha's apartment, Lina puts on her apron twice.

Quotes:

Mario: Why would she want to stay with her family in sunny Italy when she can return to cold and grey Germany to live there with a nut case like you?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Le cinéma passe à table (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Relax-Ay-Voo

exceptionally good movie

This film is an excellent psychological study of a VERY controlled and emotionally constricted woman who uses food, believe it or not, as a way of avoiding intimacy. She is a superb chef who is incredibly precise and demanding concerning her cooking because she is so uncomfortable with people. However, into her tightly controlled world comes chaos in the form of her niece--whose mother was just killed in an auto accident. Not surprisingly, she has a hard time relating to this child and I was thrilled that her transformation to a whole person took time and wasn't achieved in a Hollywood-style way. Instead, this little girl (who was not overly cute or fake--thank goodness) and a new chef at her restaurant (who was completely unlike her) influence Martha in a way that is believable and satisfying.

By the way, while not quite as good as The Big Night (which came out the same year) or Babette's feast, this movie is VERY reminiscent of them--elevating food to a true work of art.