1. April 2000 (1952)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Wolfgang Liebeneiner

Writers:

Rudolf Brunngraber (screenplay) and
Ernst Marboe (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 November 1952 (Austria)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

It is the year 2000 and the World Global Union is in charge, although other countries are allowed to elect their own government leaders...

Plot Keywords:

Austria | President | Independence | Austrian | Satire

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Hilde Krahl	...	President of the Global Union
Josef Meinrad	...	Prime Minister of Austria
Waltraut Haas	...	Mitzi
Judith Holzmeister	...	Ina Equiquiza
Elisabeth Stemberger	...	Sekretärin
Ulrich Bettac	...	Moderator Robinson
Karl Ehmann	...	Cabinet Chief
Peter Gerhard	...	Hieronymus Gallup
Curd Jürgens	...	Capitano Herakles
Robert Michal	...	Wei Yao Chee
Heinz Moog	...	Hajji Halef Omar
Guido Wieland	...	Alessandro Bibalini
Paul Hörbiger	...	Augustin
Hans Moser	...	Composer
Pepi Glöckner-Kramer

Also Known As:

April 1, 2000
Erster April 2000 (Austria) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

Germany:105 min | USA:84 min

Country:

Austria

Language:

German

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | West Germany:6 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Schönbrunn Castle, Vienna, Austria

Company:

Wien-Film

Soundtrack:

The Austrian Song

Important piece of history

This is a bizarre little movie! It's not of great quality but so sweet in some way and also an important piece of history; a „science-fiction` film as much as a document of a rather short period of Austrian history, namely the ten years from 1945 to 1955 where the four occupying powers were here. The film takes a look into the future year 2000 where some things changed radically but most things are just the same as they were. The Big Four are still in the country and the new president, played by Josef Meinrad, suddenly claims that Austria is independent. The occupying powers immediately call the „World Protection Commission` that should decide whether Austria is endangering the world peace or not. If so, they will destroy the country or at least evacuate (!) the population into sparsely populated regions of the world.

To politically interested people this will seem familiar. Funny, how relevant this movie is to the current situation. Only two months before 2000 April 1st, the European Union sanctioned Austria, however for other reasons. And the sanctions were not as drastic as those in the film.

I found it very sweet but it could also be seen as an unpleasant element that the film is full of patriotism. Every Austrian loves Austria! Hans Moser, instructed by the president, composes a song and the whole nation (really the WHOLE nation) sings it. Isn't that beautiful?

A reason for the film's most exaggerated, even childish ideas and developments is that it was made on behalf of the Austrian government, not as some world-class piece of art, but in order to make publicity for their negotiations according the state treaty they wanted to get. Nothing of the plot is supposed to be taken seriously; but the film as a whole is really amusing and original.