Therefore this film convinces all the more clearly by its careful character development and its precise observation. The screenplay adaptation and masterful acting are combined with a score that unerringly lets quiet sounds become the camera's narrative partner. Although the German-language dubbing can at times sound a bit clumsy, the dialogue retains a presence which achieves an unusual depth. Outstanding acting performances are given – in an overall extraordinary ensemble – particularly by Maximilian Schell as Aaron returning to Germany and Liv Ullmann as his (cont.) opinion of the reviewing committee: (The Rose Garden) German defense lawyer. In a time that, especially among Germans, brings about many reasons to think in historical terms about one's own country as it grows back together again, such a film deserves special attention and acknowledgment.