Bagdad Café
Encyclopedia
Bagdad Café is a 1987 German
film directed by Percy Adlon
.
The film is a comedy set in a remote truck-stop café
and motel
in the Mojave Desert
. The plot is centered around two women who have recently separated from their husbands, and the blossoming friendship which ensues. It ran 95 minutes in the U.S. and 108 minutes in the German version.
and her husband whilst they are driving across the desert. She storms out of the car and happens upon the truck stop run by the tough-as-nails and short tempered Brenda (Pounder), whose own husband, after an argument out front, is soon to leave her too. Jasmin takes a room at the adjacent motel, much to the skepticism of Brenda. Initially suspicious of the foreigner, Brenda eventually befriends Jasmin and allows her to work at the café.
The café is visited by an assortment of colorful characters, including a strange ex-Hollywood set-painter (Palance) and a glamorous tattoo artist (Kaufmann). The film has a melodious backdrop in the form of J. S. Bach preludes recited on piano by Brenda's son (Darron Flagg). With an ability to quietly empathize with everyone she meets at the café, helped by a passion for cleaning and performing magic tricks, Jasmin gradually transforms the café and all the people in it.
series starring James Gammon
, Whoopi Goldberg
, Cleavon Little
, and Jean Stapleton, with Stapleton as Jasmin and Goldberg as Brenda. In the TV version, Jasmin was no longer German. The series was shot in the conventional sitcom format, before a studio audience. The show did not obtain a sizable audience, being forced to compete with ABC's Top 30 hit Family Matters and was cancelled after one season.
is the original setting (Bagdad, Arizona
is an unrelated town). There was an actual Bagdad Cafe that existed in the '60s when U.S. Route 66
ran through the town; the town has since vanished but the cafe itself is still open for business. The site is marked by a railroad siding and a single tree.
The film was shot at what was then the Sidewinder Cafe in Newberry Springs, California
, 50 miles west of the original site of Bagdad on old U.S. 66. Since then, the café has become something of a tourist destination, and has changed its name to the Bagdad Café. A small notice board on the café wall features snapshots of the film's cast and crew.
," by Jevetta Steele
, and has a track in which the director narrates the story, including the film's missing scenes.
The two principal piano pieces performed by Darron Flagg are the "C Major Prelude No. 1" and "D Major Prelude No. 5" from Bach's
The Well-Tempered Clavier
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
film directed by Percy Adlon
Percy Adlon
Percy Adlon is a German film and television director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his film Bagdad Café aka Out of Rosenheim.-Biography:...
.
The film is a comedy set in a remote truck-stop café
Truck stop
A truck stop is a commercial facility predicated on providing fuel, parking, and often food and other services to motorists and truck drivers...
and motel
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
in the Mojave Desert
Mojave Desert
The Mojave Desert occupies a significant portion of southeastern California and smaller parts of central California, southern Nevada, southwestern Utah and northwestern Arizona, in the United States...
. The plot is centered around two women who have recently separated from their husbands, and the blossoming friendship which ensues. It ran 95 minutes in the U.S. and 108 minutes in the German version.
Synopsis
The film begins with a fight between German tourist Jasmin Münchgstettner (Sägebrecht) from RosenheimRosenheim
Rosenheim is a town in Bavaria at the confluence of the rivers Inn and Mangfall. It is seat of administration of the district of Rosenheim, but is not a part of it.-Geography:...
and her husband whilst they are driving across the desert. She storms out of the car and happens upon the truck stop run by the tough-as-nails and short tempered Brenda (Pounder), whose own husband, after an argument out front, is soon to leave her too. Jasmin takes a room at the adjacent motel, much to the skepticism of Brenda. Initially suspicious of the foreigner, Brenda eventually befriends Jasmin and allows her to work at the café.
The café is visited by an assortment of colorful characters, including a strange ex-Hollywood set-painter (Palance) and a glamorous tattoo artist (Kaufmann). The film has a melodious backdrop in the form of J. S. Bach preludes recited on piano by Brenda's son (Darron Flagg). With an ability to quietly empathize with everyone she meets at the café, helped by a passion for cleaning and performing magic tricks, Jasmin gradually transforms the café and all the people in it.
Cast
- Marianne SägebrechtMarianne SägebrechtMarianne Sägebrecht is a German film actress.Her background included stints as a medical lab assistant and magazine assistant editor before she found her calling in show business...
— Jasmin Münchgstettner - C. C. H. Pounder — Brenda
- Jack PalanceJack PalanceJack Palance , was an American actor. During half a century of film and television appearances, Palance was nominated for three Academy Awards, all as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, winning in 1991 for his role in City Slickers.-Early life:Palance, one of five children, was born Volodymyr...
— Rudi Coxx - Christine KaufmannChristine KaufmannChristine Maria Kaufmann is a German actress. In 1961 she won the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actress, the only German to be so honoured....
— Debby - Monica CalhounMonica CalhounMonica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. She is best known in her film roles such as The Players Club, The Best Man, and The Salon. She is a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts....
— Phyllis - Darron Flagg — Salomo
- George Aguilar — Cahuenga
- G. Smokey Campbell — Sal
- Hans Stadlbauer — Herr Münchgstettner
- Alan S. Craig — Eric
- Apesanahkwat — Sheriff Arnie
- Ronald Lee Jarvis — Trucker Ron
- Mark Daneri — Trucker Mark
- Ray YoungRay YoungRay Young is the name of:* Ray Young , vice president of International Operations at General Motors* Ray Young , former member of the Western Australian Legislative Assembly...
— Trucker Ray - Gary Lee Davis — Trucker Gary
Awards and nominations
- 1988: won Bavarian Film Award Best Screenplay (Eleonore & Percy Adlon)
- 1988: won Ernst Lubitsch Award (Percy Adlon)
- 1989: nominated for the OscarAcademy AwardsAn Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
for Best Music, Original Song (Bob Telson for the song "Calling YouCalling You"Calling You" is an Academy Award nominated song from the Bagdad Café movie. Originally, it was recorded by Jevetta Steele. Bob Telson who wrote the song also recorded his version. Both appeared on the movie soundtrack in 1987.- Céline Dion version :...
") - 1989: won Amanda Best Foreign Feature Film (Percy Adlon)
- 1989: won Artios Best Casting for Feature Film, Comedy (Al Onorato and Jerold Franks)
- 1989: won César Best Foreign Film (Percy Adlon)
Television series
In 1990 the film was turned into a televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series starring James Gammon
James Gammon
James Richard Gammon was an American actor, known for playing grizzled "good ol' boy" types in numerous films and television series.-Early life:...
, Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, Cleavon Little
Cleavon Little
Cleavon Jake Little was an American film and theatre actor.Little was widely known for his lead role as Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy Blazing Saddles. He also was the irreverent Dr...
, and Jean Stapleton, with Stapleton as Jasmin and Goldberg as Brenda. In the TV version, Jasmin was no longer German. The series was shot in the conventional sitcom format, before a studio audience. The show did not obtain a sizable audience, being forced to compete with ABC's Top 30 hit Family Matters and was cancelled after one season.
Location
Bagdad, CaliforniaBagdad, California
Bagdad is a ghost town in the eastern Mojave Desert, in San Bernardino County, California, United States.-Geography:Bagdad is located along the historic U.S. Route 66, east of Barstow and Ludlow, and west of Amboy and Needles...
is the original setting (Bagdad, Arizona
Bagdad, Arizona
Bagdad is a copper mining community and census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States, in the western part of the state. It is one of only two remaining company towns in Arizona...
is an unrelated town). There was an actual Bagdad Cafe that existed in the '60s when U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66
U.S. Route 66 was a highway within the U.S. Highway System. One of the original U.S. highways, Route 66 was established on November 11, 1926 -- with road signs erected the following year...
ran through the town; the town has since vanished but the cafe itself is still open for business. The site is marked by a railroad siding and a single tree.
The film was shot at what was then the Sidewinder Cafe in Newberry Springs, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, 50 miles west of the original site of Bagdad on old U.S. 66. Since then, the café has become something of a tourist destination, and has changed its name to the Bagdad Café. A small notice board on the café wall features snapshots of the film's cast and crew.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack has the song "Calling YouCalling You
"Calling You" is an Academy Award nominated song from the Bagdad Café movie. Originally, it was recorded by Jevetta Steele. Bob Telson who wrote the song also recorded his version. Both appeared on the movie soundtrack in 1987.- Céline Dion version :...
," by Jevetta Steele
Jevetta Steele
-Biography:Steele is originally from Gary, Indiana, though she has lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for many years. She originally migrated to the Twin Cities to become a criminal lawyer, although music and stage would eventually became her destined paths. In addition to her successful solo career,...
, and has a track in which the director narrates the story, including the film's missing scenes.
The two principal piano pieces performed by Darron Flagg are the "C Major Prelude No. 1" and "D Major Prelude No. 5" from Bach's
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer, organist, harpsichordist, violist, and violinist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity...
The Well-Tempered Clavier
The Well-Tempered Clavier
The Well-Tempered Clavier , BWV 846–893, is a collection of solo keyboard music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach...
.