Buddenbrooks: The Decline of a Family

While Thomas (Mark Waschke) is willing to fill the void of their father, Consul Jean (Armin Mueller-Stahl), and to steer the firm through the times of modernization and rising competition, his brother Christian (August Diehl) is trying to break away from any responsibility. We find him in dubious company, marrying a woman from a vaudeville show, rebelling against everything their father stood up for. It is left to their sister, Tony (Jessica Schwarz), who sacrifices her true love for the sake of the family's fortune, to hold the family ties together. But when their competitor Hagenström proves to have the better instinct for the changing needs of the market, even her influence seems to vanish...