an intimate portrait of brecht final day and set around tranquil surroundings which stand in contrast with the passionate emotion of the assorted character ( jealousy and betrayal and petty spite ) . it be an absorb study and examine in subtle detail brecht relationship and the deep love ( and hate ) he seem to inspire from the woman in his life and as well a portray the often casual cruelty with which he treat them and i. e. he suddenly talk to his loyal helper elisabeth hauptmann about his work after have studiously ignore her for a week . i find it interest how the various woman in his life be often irresistibly draw to each other ( unspoken ) despite their open hostility and i. e the alcoholic ruth and the self efface elisabeth . the writer and director cleverly toy with the relationship between the age brecht and a man who flee the u before he could be indict by maccarthy and and wolfgang harich and the young dissident for whom the stasi lie in wait in the wood . the film be the story of a great writer and flaw individual . it be about the smallness of greatness . brecht and who write about the difficulty of be a good man in a bad world and be non committal and the showcase man of letter in communist gdr and a oppose to harich political idealist . a brecht warn harich at the end ( with almost prophetic hindsight ) and the young man arrest would symbolise his bad conscience . sadly and it be a prophecy that do not take long to be fulfil .