Wife-Killer Movie ‘Georgetown’ Opens May 14
By • May 6, 2021 0 1783
A trio of stars — Christoph Waltz, Vanessa Redgrave and Annette Bening — brings the unbelievable story of Georgetowners Viola Drath and Albrecht Muth to fictionalized life in the film “Georgetown.”
Albrecht Gero Muth was convicted of killing his 91-year-old wife, Viola Herms Drath, in 2011 in their home on the 3200 block of Q Street in Georgetown. He received a 50-year sentence in 2014.
Paramount is distributing “Georgetown,” Waltz’s directorial debut. Arriving in select theaters on May 14, the film will also be available for on-demand streaming starting on May 18.
The real-life tale of Drath and wife-killer Muth was made into a drama/thriller by Waltz, who plays the part of scheming charmer Muth (called Ulrich Mott in the film). The role of Drath (called Elsa Brecht) is played by Redgrave and the daughter of the murdered wife by Bening.
Based on a New York Times Magazine article, “The Worst Marriage in Georgetown,” “Georgetown” had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in April of 2019.
Drath and Muth, who were known for their Q Street dinner parties, moved about in Washington society. Many boldface names were snared by the German-born pretender in his efforts to make the couple key players in Washington, D.C., especially with diplomats. He succeeded for a while.
In fact, Muth (dressed in a military uniform) once visited the offices of the Georgetowner newspaper to purchase tickets for a benefit. One staffer recalled that he seemed “totally creepy.”
Seen around Georgetown in faux military garb, the cigar-smoking Muth was perceived by neighbors and shopkeepers as an oddball. He said that he was a member of the Iraqi Army — which the Iraqi government denied. Muth went so far as to have arranged a 2010 ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery for Iraqi Liberation Day.
The amazing, you-cannot-make-this-stuff-up story was previously reported in The Georgetowner. (Click on the link.)
