The Inheritors (1998) User Reviews

An Alpine Western -bleak, gripping and beautifully filmed

[gray4 · 8/10 · 4 June 2004]

A most unusual film, set in Alpine Austria before the 2nd World War, in which innocent peasants are pitted against greedy,malevolent farmers. The peasants inherit their farm after their master is murdered, but the other farmers and the local priest cannot accept that peasants should own land. So after the initial exuberance of inheritance, the film gets bleaker as the farmers plot to undermine and drive away the new owners, whose success challenges the traditional hierarchy. It is a confrontation familiar in many Westerns - but much more realistic and in consequence that much more gripping.

Sub-plots involving each of the inheritors make this a complex and moving story, including a murder mystery and a rural class struggle. The initial driving force is Emmy, a feminist model as she stands up to the foreman and farmers, despite being labelled a whore. But she, like the others, is not just a one-dimensional heroine. Life is difficult as we see the inheritors cope with and buckle under the pressures. The Alpine landscape is an intrinsic part of the film, as we see the seasons change along with the main characters' moods and fortunes. Stefan Ruzumowsky's photographic techniques enhance the interaction of landscape and character and make for an exciting and absorbing film, well worth searching out.

Timeless story of good vs. evil with an early 1900's Alpine backdrop

[mdm-11 · 8/10 · 20 October 2005]

When an old "Bauer" is found dead, his highly unusual "last Will and Testament" puts in motion an avalanche of events, and many dirty old secrets are unearthed, causing an uproar in the small community of landowners and peasants.

This film offers many parallels to societies of various times. The basic element of two sets of justice, one for the (untouchable) upper class, and another for the little people, who have to accept whatever is dished out from above, can be likened to similar injustices happening to this very day.

The brutality of the wrongs committed to the innocent is often shown in graphic realism. Viewers should be mindful of this, to not be offended by any shocking scenes. Non-gratuitous, thus essential to plot development, the violence furthers the story line.

This film can be categorized as a tragedy, although a small glimmer of justice and hope for a better tomorrow is offered in the end. The occasional expressions of human decency and compassion are noteworthy. Only when others realize an injustice and show this by their acts of kindness towards the victims, can we be assured that a better future is before us. Internationally acclaimed, this film is well worth a watch!

Marx in upland Austria

[chas-34 · 8/10 · 27 June 1999]

An extended demonstration that proletarian struggle is as likely in the pastures as in the steelworks. We side with the peasants as they first feel their way into owning the means of production, then fight the hovering capitalist class as they snipe from the sidelines. A bucolic fantasy overtaken by a sobering chill and a sickening end.

Touching, beautifully photographed, but depressing

[dilbert · 9/10 · 3 October 1998]

This film is extremely well paced and beautifully photographed, and the characters are easy to relate to. Seven peasants unexpectedly inherit the farm on which they work after the farmer dies. The neighboring farmers view this as a breach of the rigid class structure in rural 19th century Austria and try to destroy the "One-Seventh Farmers." The tenacity with which the new owners defend their farm (and one another) is very touching. I loved it!

Excellent story, beautifully told.

[stanton-7 · 12 June 1999]

This is a terrific film which I found really gripping because of its story of the unequal fight between a group of peasants and local landowners. So few films seem to portray inequality and the fight for justice that The Inheritors seemed to me like a breath of fresh air. I thought the story was simply but beautifully told, the scene at the communal meal where the characters assert their right to the ownership of the farm against the wishes of the brutal foreman is understated and powerful. The way they are shown standing up to his bullying against the backdrop of the place set as usual for the now dead owner is keenly observed and uplifting. The film looks superb, its rural setting is very authentic, and the performances of the actors catch well the growing confidence and political awareness of the peasants, always laced with elements of self-doubt. There is a tragic core to the film and a melancholy tone but it is never dull or depressing, the characters seem too busy with trying to make good their chance of a better life.

A beautiful bleak little film

[Happy_Evil_Dude · 8/10 · 24 July 2008]

When a farmer is murdered he unexpectedly wills his farm and all his belongings to his 10 peasants, 7 of which decide, even more unexpectedly, to keep the farm and try to run it themselves despite the scorn and outrage of the "legitimate" farmers. Thus, they become the "one-seventh farmers" in this second feature length movie by prominent Austrian writer/director Stefan Ruzowitzky. A beautifully made movie about class struggles, injustice and vain arrogance (among other things), Die Siebtelbauern is also not a film that unravels the way you'd like it too (thus, it isn't really for everyone). This is quite a bleak film, but it is also extremely engaging as you truly feel for the characters, who were all wonderfully acted. Also serving the film perfectly is its beautiful music, consisting mainly of haunting piano pieces which set the tone very well. Most amusing of all is a well-made nod by Ruzowitzky to First Blood (aka the first Rambo movie) towards the end of the film, which you're likely to appreciate if you've seen said film. All in all, while it isn't essential viewing, this is a splendidly crafted little film, very engaging, beautiful, realistic and dark, and at least on par with Ruzowitzky latest, the Oscar-winning WW2 prison film Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters).

Allegorical peasants tale

[khatcher-2 · 7/10 · 17 September 2002]

I increasingly find myself tending to veer away from the more commercial mainstream cinema in an effort to find films which have a story to tell. Catherine Deneuve's comments at this year's `Mostra' are still ringing in my ears – i.e. she complained of Hollywood cinema being dominated by special effects and hardly any story to go along with. I heartily agree; thus it was with expectancy I watched the Austrian-German production of `Die Siebtelbauern'. On the whole I would say the result was satisfying – perhaps not great cinema, but at least an interesting tale unfolds in an atypical circumstance. The fable leaves you with some philosophical points to ponder.

Seven workers on a farm, including even illiterates among them, inherit the farm the rich landowner leaves them at his death. Happy-go-lucky simple peasants begin to have problems in life, which previously they had never had, both among themselves and with other landed gentry of the district.

Considering that many of those taking part in the film are not really professional actors anyway, one should allow certain weaknesses to be overlooked: the story is intriguing, the photography is wonderful, and I at last find an anchor-base from which to be able to comprehend Erik Satie's music with an element of background reality, however allegorical it may be.

Well worth a watch, especially if you are not expecting highly-polished glamorous film-making; on the other hand, I would more highly recommend the Italian film `L'Albero degli Zoccoli' (1978) directed by Ermanno Olmi: a poetic rural tale with genuine amateur actors – an exceptional film.

An allegory

[rmanory · 8/10 · 5 July 2006]

Whenever I see a movie which deals with injustice stories I feel frightened that it may happen to me. Turn of the 20-th century Austria under the Keiser was otherwise a 'modern' country by European standards, and yet such an injustice story is very credible, and it could have happened elsewhere(although not exactly in the same way in classless rural America). The story line is tragic: a land-owner who has been ruthless and evil during his lifetime, is found dead. For an unknown reason he decides to be generous in his death and leaves his property to the ten peasants who were working on it. The plot thickens. The 'peasants' are not supposed to become property owners. The fact that they do own property now causes trouble with the rest of the village farmers who are unwilling to accept the new breed of farmers, they try to burn their property and this causes a chain of events in which Lukas, the main character, is killed and the others have to flee to America. The lawlessness of the ruling class is the topic here, and it hurts to see how much power they have.

A second story line is that of another injustice, that done to Rosalind, the mother Lukas never knew, and who turns out to be the one who killed the farmer because of what he did to her when she was young. In a story resembling Charles Dikens's dramas, she was raped by the farmer and then accused of stealing from him. Her child is Lukas, who never knew his mother,and also never knew who was his father, growing up as 'the foundling' and being ridiculed by everyone in the village. The only flaw I found with this movie is that there are a few flat characters, such as the former foreman, who have no real reason for being so evil. The idea is the communist idea, of the exploitation of the poor by the rich, and the existence of the oppressing class society in old Europe. The idea of injustice by the rich and powerful is not new and can be found also in westerns. The film would have been more satisfying however if the final outcome would have been more positive, good overcoming evil in their own society. But of course, one cannot change the course of history, and indeed at that point in time the only way out of the situation would not have been fighting the system but fleeing to America.

A gritty look at peasant life.

[philippa-4 · 7/10 · 9 January 2000]

This film is not about an idealized, bucolic, peaceful country life. Rather it portrays the harsh reality of the feudal system that continued n Europe until well into the 20'th century. Peasants were considered "uppity" if they dared to believe they could be the equal of Farmers, and women were so victimized that a woman reporting her violent rape could be sent to prison for having the audacity to accuse her employer of a crime. In fact, European peasants were in many ways as ill treated as the slaves of the Deep South. I enjoyed this film for its cultural realism and historical value, but the story is quite depressing. I rate it a 7.

A truly great movie

[Rick A.-2 · 10/10 · 10 February 2000]

"The Inheritors" is a truly great movie. Great art can invite you in and massage you, and guide you back out again, hopefully in a new direction. This movie does that for me partly because of its allegorical nature. I see it as a religious allegory, with Lukas as the Christ figure, and the land representing the mystical body. The movie's greatness comes in the way it points out of itself, to a more universal, democratic experience. In this way "The Inheritors" can be compared to another great film, "The Sweet Hereafter". Both generate their emotional impact in loosely holding the viewer while pointing to a possible world outside of the movie. To see the beauty, we simply have to be willing to enter into it.

A film that's well worth watching

[mob61uk · 6/10 · 14 July 2002]

This German film about some pre-World War II peasants taking over their master's farm after his mysterious death has a surreal edge to it, not unlike Julio Medem's films (though not quite of Medem's calibre). Ruzowitzky gives this parable of German society enough grim humour and imaginative direction, to alleviate any danger of ponderousness. The result is a film that is well worth watching.

Excellent

[glenbot · 9/10 · 24 November 1998]

It's a very sad, but poignant movie.

Great story and locale. I thought the casting was excellent and I liked the strong female character Emmy.

It's also a great snapshot of life in 19th century rural Austria and dare I say it, class struggle.

highly overrated

[Clarence Abernathy · 2/10 · 4 May 1999]

I really don't know why there are all those brilliant reviews in so many respected papers and magazines. This was a hell of a deception to me, an utterly boring (cinematography & story) display of cardboard characters played by wooden actors, esp. the highly credited Sophie Rois delivers an exceptionally bad performance. Too much of an artificial appeal to be realistic, too pretentious to be funny, too silly to be taken seriously: so the film doesn't even make it to be a "good bad movie". Not amused.

Don't judge someone by the exterior; existence of class strugles in today's business world.

[maxbolam · 14 May 2003]

As I watched "Die Siebentelbauern", I was reminded of the film, "Gosfard Park", with its theme of class struggles among the "helpers" or servants and the upper class at that time. In both films, the moral of not judging another person by their position within society, such as if they are a cook or maid, but viewing them for their true personality, is something which can and should be applied to today's world. In terms of a "real world" application, one could view the abuse of a employee by their bose similiar to the kind of abuse, which occured between some servants and masters. Class struggles exist today, just in a different light-the work world.

Great movie with remarkable heroes

[GrafZahl · 9/10 · 12 March 1999]

The old farmer, a real tyrant, dies. Since he has no (legal) offspring the other local farmers are already dividing his legacy among themselves. But surprisingly, the farm-workers inherit the farm. Since a labourer cannot be accepted as a farmer, incredible waves of intrigues and brutality close over the seven brave inheritors. A fight for justice and life arises.

Once you have adopted yourself to the strange camera work this movie will not leave you untouched. The acting is great. Normally, if you have rebels in a film, they are perfect, always good, and superior. These heroes are labourers, uneducated, they have never seen anything more of the world than their valley, and they are absolutely indelicate, and only some of them are real fighters for justice.

This is great cinema!

I did not feel involved with the story or the characters

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 3 November 2016]

"Die Siebtelbauern" is an Austrian German-language movie from 1998, so it will have its 20th anniversary the year after next year. The writer and director is Stefan Ruzowitzky and this film was selected to be Austria's official submission to the Oscars that year. And even if it did not get the nomination, it is still interesting from the perspective that Ruzowitzky won an Oscar for another submission ("Die Fälscher") several years later. But back to this one here. It features Austrian (because that's Ruzoqitzky's origin) and German actors playing the main characters and quite a few of these are still very well-known today to German film buffs. The story is about a terrible crime that happens, but actually what happens afterward is really the real tragedy, namely the huge challenge for the members of a small community in dealing with the aftermath, especially from an economic perspective. But there are also all kinds of other genres in here such as occasionally dark comedy (coming from the narration mostly) and romance as well. For the actors playing the main characters, it was a bit of a breakthrough work that allowed them to have a career to this date, almost two decades later. But I personally must say that even if the acting was fairly solid for the most part, I never really managed to develop an interest in the story and the characters for the most part. Maybe you need to be Austrian to appreciate it or just like Ruzowizky's style more than I do. I was underwhelmed almost during the entirety of the film and there were not that many moments I would consider good or even memorable at all. This is why I give "The Inheritors" a thumbs-down and I suggest you to watch something else instead.

Thought-provoking and worth seeing

[jmarlinbarker · 3 July 2003]

The Inheritors (Die Siebtelbauern), as I remember it, was amusing and also thought-provoking about general socio-economic changes of the past two centuries or so that today many people in Western countries probably take for granted. Perhaps in vague way, it reminds me of an allegory such as Orwell's Animal Farm in the sense of seeing political theory in an intimate, emotional story rather than in some abstract manifesto.

While the film might not be the most "profound" work of art ever made, it nevertheless deserves a viewing. I say it is quite entertaining and in short, thumbs up.

Boring and unrealistic

[Ace-33 · 5/10 · 4 April 2001]

It's unfortunate that a movie with gifted actors, an interesting premise, and beautiful cinematography has to be marred with simplistic us vs. them conflict and unrealistic drama. I just don't get it. The Inheritors starts off meaningfully well with a mysterious murder that results in 10 peasants inheriting a farm who previously never owned anything. Halfway through the story, however, the plot becomes predictable and often at times boring. There are also scenes that show complete disregard for justice by the church and state when the peasants are harassed in the most horrific way. Scenes like those are never as simple or as black and white as shown here. I can't believe an entire town would tolerate that type of curelty by its own citizens. Don't waste your time on this film. There are far better foreign films that depict the trial and tribulations of peasant life in the mountains of Austria. For example, see the "Last Valley" starring Michael Cain and Omar Sharif. Though the setting takes place in Switzerland, it's actually filmed in Austria. Now that's a film that deals with injustice in a much more effective and believable way!

Time and place check

[KenE · 30 November 1998]

I guess it's a measure of how effectively placed the class-war business of Austria's "The Inheritors" is, since so many people seem to think it takes place in the 19th century. Actually, the film is set in the early 1930s, with the shadow of the coming storm of Nazism and WWII ready to obliterate everything we're seeing, anyway.

Funny, Real and Happens All The Time

[Brandy-28 · 30 May 2000]

This movie was entirely about struggling. Whether it be the single mom or single dad, or an entire neighborhood of people. You could relate to the struggle these people had to go through. It was just like the struggle of everyone who's had to work overtime or work hard period - to pay the rent or the food bill and still have a life apart from work and duty. Do not look at this movie in the movie sense, look at it within yourself as you do everyday in your life.... You might find some examples of yourself in this movie. I did.....So will you.

A sad film

[Gordon-11 · 18 July 2015]

This film tells the story of seven peasant workers who inherit the farm they work on, after the owner of the farm got mysteriously murdered by an old woman. The seven peasant workers are not used to being land owners, and they face a lot of problems both from within and without.

I am not sure why, but I find "The Inheritors" quite confusing. I seem to have missed the murder of the farm owner, and I got confused between Rosalind and Nane - the two old women. In addition, the original VCD I watched does not have great picture quality, further decreasing my enjoyment of the film. Anyway, the film is quite a sad look into class struggles. The old money think the newly rich will get doomed, out of malice and ignorance. Yet, the film seem to be confirming such a dark prophecy, which is quite sad.