Seven Years in Tibet Stars Brad Pitt

Story of Austrian Mountaineer Heinrich Harrer and Dalai Lama

Jan 28, 2009

Brad Pitt portrays story of real life explorer Heinrich Harrer and the Dalai Lama during WWII years in Tibet, during the takeover of the peaceful culture by China.

Seven Years in Tibet is a beautifully filmed movie starring Brad Pitt that was based on the real life story of Austrian adventurer/explorer Heinrich Harrer who was stuck in Tibet during World War II. The movie, filmed in 1997, was based on a book written by Harrer himself.

Brad Pitt Portrays Heinrich Harrer

The story begins in 1939 as Heinrich B. Harrer (Brad Pitt) is leaving his pregnant wife to climb the Himalayas. The character portrayed by Pitt is cold and unfeeling toward his wife and toward his associates. As Harrer boards the train he is handed a Nazi flag to plant on the top of the Himalayan Mountain.

While in the Himalayas, World War II breaks out and Harrer is interred in a prisoner of war camp. While in the POW camp he receives divorce papers from his wife, who plans to marry his friend. She writes that she will tell their son about him when the boy is old enough.

Harrer escapes the POW camp to get into Tibet. Along with Harrer is fellow mountain climber, Peter Aufschnaiter (David Thelis). The Austrian mountain climber is introduced to a teenaged Dalai Lama, who hires the Austrian to build a movie theater and to teach the boy about the world.

Harrer and the Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, become close friends. Throughout this time, Harrer thinks about the son he never met and comes to regret the callous disregard he has had toward people.

Seven Years in Tibet covers a period of history in which the Republic of China takes over the peaceful country of Tibet.

The story line is long and complicated, with the personal transformation of a man set against the downfall of a country. Critics have complained that at 139 minutes, the movie is too long, and it does drag in spots. The story attempts to cover a lot of territory and may require multiple viewings to take it all in.

Heinrich Harrer and the Dalia Lama

Heinrich Harrer was a noted Austrian explorer and mountaineer who lived from 1912 until 2006. Harrer and The Dalai Lama, who was exiled from Tibet to India, remained lifelong friends. The Heinrich Harrer website features a video of Harrer and the Dalai Lama in 1993, talking about their longtime friends.

Cast of Seven Years in Tibet

Seven Years in Tibet is a long, sprawling movie with panoramic scenery and a historical perspective. Even though the movie is long, and sometimes slow, it is worth seeing.

The copyright of the article Seven Years in Tibet Stars Brad Pitt in Historical Films is owned by Christine Nyholm. Permission to republish Seven Years in Tibet Stars Brad Pitt in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.