Long Hello and Short Goodbye

The film revolves around a recently released safe-cracker named Ben and an undercover police agent named Melody. Melody's job is to dupe Ben into another job so that he can be put away once more by her sinister and ambitious boss Kahnitz. But complications arise when the talkative cop falls for the taciturn gangster.

The film features a complex neo-noir flashback structure that centers on seemingly dead characters littering the bloody floor of a fancy apartment. As the story progresses, we find out that some of these dead people are not dead at all, more are hiding in the closet, and slowly the pieces of the puzzle come together.

{{cast listing|

• Nicolette Krebitz as Melody
• Marc Hosemann as Ben
• Sunnyi Melles as Aurelia
• Axel Milberg as Percy
• Dietrich Hollinderbäumer as Kahnitz
• Martin Glade as Dennis
• Katja Riemann as Ida
• Hannelore Hoger as Therapeutin/Therapist
• Stefan Kurt as Arzt/Doctor
• {{ill|Albert Kitzl|de}} as Dealer
• {{ill|Gustav Peter Wöhler|de}} as Verkäufer/Salesman
• {{ill|Michael Benthin|de}} as Rezeptionist/Receptionist
• {{ill|Eva Kryll|de||it||nds}} as Sachbearbeiterin/Case Worker
• Jimmy Yassa-Campos as Tresenmann/Barkeeper
• {{ill|Atto Suttarp|de}} as Pizzamann/Pizza Man

}}

Based on an original English-language screenplay by I, Robot writer Jeff Vintar,{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} the English-language version of Vintar's screenplay struggled to reach the screen for many years.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} The work was under a variety of producers and production companies;{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} hence, the script was under option for a very long time.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} At one time, Gustavo Mosquera, who had directed Moebius, was slated as its director, with John Woo and partner Terence Chang producing under their Lion Rock banner.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The screenplay that eventually made it to the screen was developed by the production company Circle of Confusion.{{verification needed|date=November 2019}}{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} Shortly before the movie's release, the film's producers{{who|date=November 2019}} "got cold feet"{{cite quote|date=November 2019}} and re-edited the film to give it a linear narrative, which became the version that made it to the screen.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}

The film became a cult favorite among noir buffs,{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} and received a positive review in Variety that predicted that the film would play in broad-minded festivals around the world, and that genre fans would "lap it up".{{cite web |last1=Elley |first1=Derek |title=Long Hello Short Goodbye |url=https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/long-hello-and-short-goodbye-1200458468/ |website=Variety |date=12 July 1999 |access-date=27 October 2021}}

The final editing that gave the film its linear narrative is said to have diluted its "effect"{{clarify|date=November 2019}}{{according to whom|date=November 2019}},{{citation needed|date=November 2019}} which resulted in its polarizing critics and audience members alike.{{citation needed|date=November 2019}}{{dubious|date=November 2019}}

• {{cite web | last = Elley | first = Derek | date = July 12, 1999 | title = Reviews: Long Hello and Short Goodbye | work = Variety | url = https://variety.com/1999/film/reviews/long-hello-and-short-goodbye-1200458468/ | accessdate = November 18, 2019 }}

{{Reflist}}

• {{IMDb title|0139429}}

Category:1999 films

Category:1999 crime thriller films

Category:German crime thriller films

Category:1990s German-language films

Category:Films shot in Hamburg

Category:German neo-noir films

Category:1990s German films

Category:Warner Bros. films

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