The entertaining film is about a little village in Western Pomeria, Germany, before WW1. It is based on a novel by Ehm Welk, who wrote it in 1937, despite living under occupational ban by the Nazi government. The story gives a fond insight in the way people lived in the "good old days", when Germany still was a monarchy under Kaiser Wilhelm. However big politics never reach the remote world of the people in this story. Instead they solve their problems with their own rural politics. The picture of an old tripartite society is painted with a whimsical smile and a dash of anarchism, that adds to the lightness of the subject. Although never leaving the layer of a family movie, that can be watched well during the christmas days, the film accomplishes remarkable depth. It's emotions range from laughter to crying, presented in an unsentimental brash way. The overall acting is superb, which includes about a dozen children. This film is an underestimated jewel. The older it gets, the more it shows what we lost today: emotions based on real life, instead of the shallow sensations of modern media entetainment.
3 Reviews
Once upon a time in an enchanting village community...
thursdaysrecords26 December 2021
He who is kind to his animals has God's favor. This is one of the basic themes in this beautiful story set in an early 1900's German village. The cow herder known as Krishan, regularly comes back each spring, causing great excitement among the school children, who adore the man for his many wild stories about traveling the world, and the wisdom within his experiences.
The strict ways of this tight knit God fearing community frown upon any heathen elements or free thinking ideas. Likewise, law and order are taken very seriously. When the chronically malcontent Miller, who exhibits all characteristics of a profoundly flawed human being persists in harassing the kind and gentle Krishan, something must be done about it. The villagers shun the grumpy Miller, while the children unite in many amusing plots to rid the village of this tyrant. Karma never loses an address!
Many popular German actors are featured in this film. Theo Lingen is the best known of them all, and seems to be getting some practice for the series of "Lummel aus der ersten Bank" camp films produced in the late 1960s to early 1970s, where he plays a recurring lead role as Principal of a prestigious High School, where one particular Class of students is prone to playing pranks on the faculty. The role of the village Pastor, played by Paul Dahlke is another delight. The innocence and honesty of the many child actors, most of them uncredited, only add to the magic of this gem of a movie.
The strict ways of this tight knit God fearing community frown upon any heathen elements or free thinking ideas. Likewise, law and order are taken very seriously. When the chronically malcontent Miller, who exhibits all characteristics of a profoundly flawed human being persists in harassing the kind and gentle Krishan, something must be done about it. The villagers shun the grumpy Miller, while the children unite in many amusing plots to rid the village of this tyrant. Karma never loses an address!
Many popular German actors are featured in this film. Theo Lingen is the best known of them all, and seems to be getting some practice for the series of "Lummel aus der ersten Bank" camp films produced in the late 1960s to early 1970s, where he plays a recurring lead role as Principal of a prestigious High School, where one particular Class of students is prone to playing pranks on the faculty. The role of the village Pastor, played by Paul Dahlke is another delight. The innocence and honesty of the many child actors, most of them uncredited, only add to the magic of this gem of a movie.
I don't really see much purpose in this one, or much entertainment
Horst_In_Translation7 January 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"Die Heiden Von Kummerow Und Ihre Lustigen Streiche" or "The Heathens of Kummerow" (not "heroes") is a German movie from 1967 and it has its 50th anniversary this year. The special thing here is that it is a co-production between East and West Germany and this is something that you really don't see that often overall. It runs for 90 minutes and was written by a whole lot of screen writers. the director is Werner Jacobs and among his most known are the Lümmel movies and you can certainly consider this film here something similar too. With the exception that the heathens listed in the title are actually grown-ups in this movie here as well as even smaller children. And to show you how famous these films (and Jacobs) were back then it is enough to take a look at the cast. There are really quite some familiar names in here and the one I personally found the most appealing is Theo Lingen. I just wished he had more screen time in here. Also Winnetou fans will be delighted to see Ralf Wolter, who actually has a lot of screen time as he plays possibly the most important adult character, the one who makes friends with the kids through his interesting stories, but is not exactly appreciated by the other grown-ups.
In general, I had some problem with the direction this movie was taking. The kids scenes really seemed to aim at a younger audience, but there were many more scenes with the grown-ups and children in the audience would find these really boring I am sure. But I am not sure what adult audiences would think about this film. If they found it entertaining or childish. I personally found little memorable stuff in the story (apart from the scene with the 2 kids naked in the lake searching for crabs and the father who takes them away) and I also think the emotional impact the film is trying to make, especially at the very end was not really successful. Maybe it is because I am just not the biggest Wolter fan. Despite the relatively high rating here on IMDb, I don't think this is better than than Jacobs' Lümmel films. I myself found many scenes dragging during the run-time here and this is even worse as it's far from being a really long films. Thumbs-down from me and I don't recommend the watch. This is another example of how forgettable the 1960s were in terms of German films and the special connection I mentioned earlier with regards to this one sadly did not turn into a quality outcome. Watch something else instead.
In general, I had some problem with the direction this movie was taking. The kids scenes really seemed to aim at a younger audience, but there were many more scenes with the grown-ups and children in the audience would find these really boring I am sure. But I am not sure what adult audiences would think about this film. If they found it entertaining or childish. I personally found little memorable stuff in the story (apart from the scene with the 2 kids naked in the lake searching for crabs and the father who takes them away) and I also think the emotional impact the film is trying to make, especially at the very end was not really successful. Maybe it is because I am just not the biggest Wolter fan. Despite the relatively high rating here on IMDb, I don't think this is better than than Jacobs' Lümmel films. I myself found many scenes dragging during the run-time here and this is even worse as it's far from being a really long films. Thumbs-down from me and I don't recommend the watch. This is another example of how forgettable the 1960s were in terms of German films and the special connection I mentioned earlier with regards to this one sadly did not turn into a quality outcome. Watch something else instead.
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