Clavigo (film)

Clavigo is a 1970 West German film directed by Hans-Joachim Heyse. It is based on the 1774 tragic play Clavigo by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The film stars Bernhard Minetti as Goethe and Götz George as Clavigo.

The film, like the play, tells the story of Clavigo, a promising writer at the Spanish court, who is torn between his love for Marie Beaumarchais and his ambition. Beaumarchais' brother, Carlos, manipulates events to force Clavigo to choose between his love and his career, resulting in tragedy for all involved. The film explores themes of societal pressure, personal integrity, and the destructive nature of ambition. While adhering to the core plot of Goethe's original work, the film also provides a lens through which to examine the social and political climate of its own time.