Obscene: The Case of Peter Herzl

A West German man is mistaken for a left wing terrorist by the police and goes on the run. He seeks shelter in Vienna, where he meets a prostitute and becomes involved with her teenage daughter. The three form a tense, uneasy surrogate family, sharing warmth and protection that feel rare in a world of suspicion. As their bond grows, ordinary rules dissolve and a fragile balance emerges from need, secrecy and mutual dependence. But the bond is tested from outside and inside, threatening the shelter they have built. The film stays focused on character and atmosphere, exploring the costs of a fragile arrangement. The story lingers on what people endure for true belonging.

Directed by Hans-Christof Stenzel and released in 1981, Obscene: The Case of Peter Herzl draws its material from a script by Alfred Paul Schmidt. The film adopts an intimate, challenging style that marks it as a distinctive German drama today.

Box office data for this title is not widely documented. It did not become a major international release and has remained largely within festival circuits, art house venues, and limited regional screenings in Europe.

No major awards or nominations are documented for this film. While it attracted attention for its provocative premise and strong performances, Obscene: The Case of Peter Herzl did not receive recognition from the big awards bodies and has lingered as a niche title in limited retrospectives and small press screenings.

Critically the movie is seen as a stark drama that probes identity, trust, and unconventional domestic bonds amid political tension. It foregrounds moral ambiguity and the fragility of chosen families, inviting debate about guilt, belonging, and the price of safety, especially in how people protect each other for curious film fans.