A man with an uncanny sense of smell becomes obsessed with the art of perfumery, as well as murder.
German writer Patrick Süskind's internationally best-selling novel interested many filmmakers since its publication in 1985, and names such as Stanley Kubrick (who considered it unfilmable), Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Tim Burton, Julian Schnabel, and Milos Forman were associated with the material. Producer Bernd Eichinger held out until 2000 when Süskind finally agreed to give him the rights. Fellow German Tom Tykwer, the director of indie sensation Run Lola Run was asked to direct.
Despite the production team and financing coming from Germany, the film was made in the English language with British and American actors, likely with the hopes of worldwide success. Scenes were shot in Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Reproduction of the 18th Century setting found the crew examining paintings by Caravaggio and Rembrandt.
Relative newcomer Ben Whishaw was cast in the lead role, his first. Supporting are veterans Dustin Hoffman and Alan Rickman, with John Hurt providing the narration. Tykwer brought in previous collaborator Frank Griebe as his cinematographer, and as in his previous films, contributed to the musical score.
The massive production turned out to be one of the most expensive in German history, and featured over 5,000 extras. A focused effort was made to portray the sense of smell on-screen without resorting to visual effects, relying instead on the audience's association with certain images and sounds.
The film was a big success in Europe, but failed to find an audience in the U.S. due to poor marketing and scheduling. Critical response was mixed, but many fans of the book found it to be a faithful and innovative adaptation. Roger Ebert called it "the most underappreciated movie of the year." The film won several awards at various festivals.
Running time is approx. 2 hr, 20 min.
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