Paths in the Night

Wege in Die Nacht/Paths in The Night concerns Walter (Hilmar Thate), a middle-aged man who suddenly finds himself out of a job. While his wife has a job as a waitress and they have no children to support, the loss of his position is still a crushing blow for Walter. He finds himself wandering the city streets at night, trying to find something to do that will give his life some sense of purpose. He strikes up a friendship with a cynical young couple, and later, in hopes of regaining the respect of his wife, he tries to steal an expensive piece of jewelry for her. Shot in black and white and in many ways recalling the German cinema of the 1970s, Wege in Die Nacht/Paths in The Night was shown as part of the Directors Fortnight series at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival.~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide