The Tin Drum_
"A savage, sweeping epic of society in chaos."
In 1924, Oskar Matzerath is born in the Free City of Danzig. At age three, he falls down a flight of stairs and stops growing. In 1939, World War II breaks out.
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
A
Acontra Plus
1 country
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
The Tin Drum earned $17.0M worldwide on a $3.0M budget — a 467% return on investment.
Year context
The Tin Drum was released 47 years ago in 1979.
CAST (20)
Mario Adorf
Alfred Matzerath
Angela Winkler
Agnes Matzerath
David Bennent
Oskar Matzerath
Katharina Thalbach
Maria Matzerath
Daniel Olbrychski
Jan Bronski
Tina Engel
Young Anna Koljaiczek
Berta Drews
Anna Koljaiczek
RT
Roland Teubner
Joseph Koljaiczek
TK
Tadeusz Kunikowski
Uncle Vinzenz
Andréa Ferréol
Lina Greff
Heinz Bennent
Greff
Ilse Pagé
Gretchen Scheffler
WR
Werner Rehm
Scheffler
Käte Jaenicke
Mother Truczinski
Otto Sander
Meyn
Charles Aznavour
Sigismund Markus
FH
Fritz Hakl
Bebra
MO
Mariella Oliveri
Roswitha
Ernst Jacobi
Löbsack
Henning Schlüter
Dr. Hollatz
CREW
Director
Writer
Writer
Writer
BOX OFFICE
$3.0M
Budget
$17.0M
Revenue
+467%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
STUDIOS (9)
Jadran Film
Artemis Film
Franz Seitz Filmproduktion
Argos films
Hallelujah Films
GGB-14
Neue Bioskop Film
Auditrust
Taurus Film
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
162 min (2h 42m)
Language
German
Rating
6.9/10 (518 votes)
Popularity
5
Budget
$3,000,000
Box Office
$17,000,000
Profit
+$14,000,000
IMDB
Trailer
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is The Tin Drum about?
In 1924, Oskar Matzerath is born in the Free City of Danzig. At age three, he falls down a flight of stairs and stops growing. In 1939, World War II breaks out.
How long is The Tin Drum?
The Tin Drum has a runtime of 162 minutes (2h 42m).
Who directed The Tin Drum?
The Tin Drum was directed by Volker Schlöndorff.
Who stars in The Tin Drum?
The cast of The Tin Drum includes Mario Adorf, Angela Winkler, David Bennent, Katharina Thalbach, Daniel Olbrychski.
How much did The Tin Drum make at the box office?
The Tin Drum earned $17,000,000 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $3,000,000.
What is the rating of The Tin Drum?
The Tin Drum has a rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 518 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (3)
Drama
History
War
KEYWORDS (31)
puberty
adultery
lolita
suicide
based on novel or book
nazi
dwarf
gdansk, poland
circus
toxication
germany
married couple
pregnancy
world war ii
family's daily life
dark comedy
suffocation
lone wolf
kaschubia
synagogue
hitler youth
coming of age
family feud
red army
prenatal
1920s
1940s
new german cinema
1930s
invasion of normandy
war drama
Volker Schlöndorff →