| Genre: | Art/Foreign |
| Year: | 1956 |
| Rating: | ? |
| Length: | 55mins |
| Country: | Germany |
| Cast: | Heinz Ruhmann, Hannelore Schroth and Martin Held |
| Credits: | Directed by Helmut Kautner. (German with Enflish subtitles. Color, 16mm) |
Synopsis
A cobbler, eager to find work, needs papers. He attempts at forging a passport and fails and he is incarcenated. Upon his release he faces the same dilemmna but this time he takes more radical mesures. He dresses up as a German officer, commandering troops, occupying city hall, and procuring the desired documents. When Helmit Kautner reworked Carl Zuckmayer's famous drama of 1931, (which was based on an actual occurance in 1906), Germany was in the midst of the Cold War. The 1956 adaptaion demostrates much formal and stylistic allure, a steady directorial hand, impressive compositions, ensemble performances, and an undeniable humanistic resolve. It found favor even in the most conservative quarters of the Federal Republic, garnering multiple awards at the 1957 Sate Film Prize ceremonies as well as recognition as a film "that contributes to the furthering of democratic thought."
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