Die Sachverständigen (1973)
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After being wrongly accused of starting a brawl, a young lawyer is trapped in a psychiatric clinic’s maze of expert judgments.
The story
Young lawyer Matthias Mainzer leads an ordinary, inconspicuous life in a big city, going quietly about his work. One day he is caught up in a brawl through no fault of his own, but is accused of having started it. The police have him committed to a psychiatric clinic for evaluation. There, numerous legal and medical experts assess him, and a succession of rulings, measures, and diagnoses begins to shape his experience. The setup follows Mainzer as he is drawn into an increasingly absurd institutional process.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The young lawyer Matthias Mainzer leads a perfectly ordinary life. He goes about his work unobtrusively, a typical gray mouse in the big-city crowd. One day, through no fault of his own, he gets caught up in a brawl, yet is accused of having started it. The police officers ensure that he is committed to a psychiatric clinic for evaluation. There he is confronted by numerous legal and medical experts. A spiral of absurd rulings, measures, and diagnoses is set in motion. Mainzer sinks ever deeper into the mire and is broken by the experts without the use of violence. Finally, a ruined man, he is released. But Mainzer cannot return to his normal life. The psychological wounds inflicted on him by the experts run too deep.
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