| Swing Kids | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Directed by | Thomas Carter |
| Produced by | Mark Gordon John Bard Manulis |
| Written by | Jonathan Marc Feldman |
| Starring | Robert Sean Leonard Christian Bale Frank Whaley Barbara Hershey Kenneth Branagh |
| Music by | James Horner |
| Distributed by | Hollywood Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 5, 1993 |
| Running time | 114 min. |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
Swing Kids is a film produced in 1993 and directed by Thomas Carter. The runtime is approximately 114 minutes and the main actors include:
- Robert Sean Leonard as Peter Müller
- Christian Bale as Thomas Berger
- Frank Whaley as Arvid
- Barbara Hershey as Frau Müller
- Kenneth Branagh as Herr Knopp (uncredited)
- Julia Stemberger as Frau Linge.
The film is considered as being part of the Lindy Hop revival of the 1980's and 1990's, and responsible for bringing more people to this dance form.
Plot Summary
In pre-World War II Germany, Swing music becomes the underground movement of young people. Two high school students,Peter Müller,Thomas Berger, played by Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale, attempt to be Swing Kids by night and Hitler Youth by day. The impact of this decision is felt acutely by their friends and families. Soon dancing and fun leads to more difficult choices as the Nazis begin tightening their grip on Germany. A seemingly charming but intimidating Gestapo officer Herr Knopp (Kenneth Branagh in an uncredited role) insinuates himself into their lives. Each member of the group is forced to face some tough choices about right, wrong, and survival. This is the story of one group of Swing Kids and how Nazi rule and persuasion tore them apart and set them against each other. In the end Peter Müller was sent of to concentration camp. Thomas Berger finally turned bak into a Swing kid. "In a world on the brink of war, you either march to one tune or dance to another."
Trivia
- Kenneth Branagh refused billing after being told he'd be billed above the younger stars, saying that the boys were the real stars of the film and it belonged to them only. Branagh had worked with both Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale previously in Much Ado About Nothing (with Leonard) and Henry V (with Bale).
