Acht Stunden sind kein Tag

1972 - 1973

Jochen and Marion

29th October 1972

Episode 1

In Cologne lives the middle-class Epp family, where one son, Jochen, works in a tool factory and shares close comradeship with his colleagues. While out to purchase alcohol for a family gathering, Jochen meets the beautiful Marion Andreas, who has an office advertising job, a love affair between them develops.

Oma and Gregor

27th December 1972

Episode 2

Grandmother Oma spends time searching for an apartment she can afford with her new boyfriend Gregor, a gentleman she has picked up in a park. When they run across a library space being abandoned by town authorities, Oma comes up with the idea of taking it over as a kindergarten for the neighbourhood children with no place to play except the street. She and Gregor become do-it-yourself squatters.

Franz and Ernst

21st January 1973

Episode 3

The closely knit comrades at the factory have hoped that, after some training, Franz would replace the recently deceased foreman. But their office manager prefers to bring in an outsider, which causes tension.

Harald and Monika

18th February 1973

Episode 4

Prodded by a visit from Marion's strict mother, Jochen plans to marry Marion. Whereas tensions growing between Monika and the abusive Harald lead Monika to consider divorce.

Irmgard and Rolf

18th March 1973

Episode 5

With the news the factory is relocating, Jochen and Marion ask if they can switch apartments with Kathe and Wolf, to be closer to their respective jobs. And with this new inconvenience, the workers come up with a list of demands, including the seemingly impractical proposal that they arrange their own schedule rather than it being dictated by the bosses.

Top Cast

Gottfried John•Wolfried Lier•Irm Hermann

Eight Hours Don't Make a Day (German: Acht Stunden sind kein Tag) is a West German television drama miniseries written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Commissioned by Westdeutscher Rundfunk, it broadcast in five episodes between 1972 and 1973. In Cologne, West Germany, young toolmaker Jochen's world is explored, including those around him: the woman he loves, his eccentric family, and his fellow workers, with whom he bands together to improve conditions on the factory floor.

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Full Cast

Gottfried John Image

Gottfried John

Jochen Epp

Wolfried Lier Image

Wolfried Lier

Wolf Epp

Irm Hermann Image

Irm Hermann

Irmgard Erlkönig

Anita Bucher

Käthe Epp

Werner Finck Image

Werner Finck

Gregor Mack

Hanna Schygulla Image

Hanna Schygulla

Marion Andreas

Wolfgang Schenck Image

Wolfgang Schenck

Franz Miltenberger

Rudolf Waldemar Brem Image

Rudolf Waldemar Brem

Rolf Schwein

Wolfgang Zerlett

Manfred Müller

Grigorios Karipidis Image

Grigorios Karipidis

Guiseppe Giuliano

Hans Hirschmüller Image

Hans Hirschmüller

Jürgen Graf

Thorsten Massinger

Manni Andreas

Luise Ullrich Image

Luise Ullrich

Oma Krüger

Karl Scheydt Image

Karl Scheydt

Arbeiter Peter

Herb Andress Image

Herb Andress

Rüdiger

Renate Roland Image

Renate Roland

Monika Epp

Full Crew

Rainer Werner Fassbinder Image

Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Producer

Peter Märthesheimer

Producer

Dietrich Lohmann

Director of Photography

Marie Anne Gerhardt

Editor

Fuzzy Image

Fuzzy

Original Music Composer

Kurt Raab Image

Kurt Raab

Production Design

Gisela Röcken

Costume Design

Wolfgang Martin

Makeup Artist

Rosemarie Schönartz

Makeup Artist

Fred Ilgner

Production Manager

Bernd Tillmann

Production Manager

Renate Leiffer Image

Renate Leiffer

First Assistant Director

Eberhard Schubert

Second Assistant Director

Manfred Lütz

Assistant Production Design

Gerhard Trampert

Sound

Herbert Paetzold

First Assistant Camera

Thomas Mittelstenscheidt

Second Assistant Camera

Herbert Watrin

Assistant Production Manager

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