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Der Untertan

  • 19511951
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
895
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
135,108
32,446
Der Untertan (1951)
ComedyDrama
Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. Hi... Read allDiederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he a... Read allDiederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
895
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
135,108
32,446
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • Writers
      • Heinrich Mann(novel "Der Untertan")
      • Fritz Staudte
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • Stars
      • Werner Peters
      • Paul Esser
      • Renate Fischer
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • Writers
      • Heinrich Mann(novel "Der Untertan")
      • Fritz Staudte
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • Stars
      • Werner Peters
      • Paul Esser
      • Renate Fischer
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos9

    Der Untertan (1951)
    Der Untertan (1951)
    Der Untertan (1951)
    Renate Fischer and Werner Peters in Der Untertan (1951)
    Werner Peters and Sabine Thalbach in Der Untertan (1951)
    Werner Peters in Der Untertan (1951)
    Sabine Thalbach in Der Untertan (1951)
    Der Untertan (1951)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Werner Peters
    Werner Peters
    • Diederich Heßling
    Paul Esser
    Paul Esser
    • Regierungspräsident von Wulckow
    Renate Fischer
    • Guste Daimchen
    Ernst Legal
    • Pastor Zillich
    Raimund Schelcher
    • Dr. Wolfgang Buck
    Eduard von Winterstein
    Eduard von Winterstein
    • Buck sen.
    Friedrich Maurer
    • Fabrikant Göpel
    Sabine Thalbach
    Sabine Thalbach
    • Agnes Göpel
    Hannsgeorg Laubenthal
    • Mahlmann
    Friedrich Gnaß
    • Napoleon Fischer
    Wolfgang Kühne
    • Dr. Mennicke
    Fritz Staudte
    • Amtsgerichtsrat Kühlemann
    Wolfgang Heise
    • Leutnant von Brietzen
    Axel Triebel
    Axel Triebel
    • Major Kunze
    Arthur Schröder
    Arthur Schröder
    • Landgerichtsdirektor
    Paul Mederow
    • Dr. Heuteufel
    Friedrich Richter
    • Fabrikbesitzer Lauer
    Heinz Keuneke
    • Gottlieb Hornung
    • Director
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • Writers
      • Heinrich Mann(novel "Der Untertan")
      • Fritz Staudte
      • Wolfgang Staudte
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Debut of actress Sabine Thalbach .
    • Alternate versions
      The film was banned in West Germany from 1951-1956. In 1956 a censored version was released. The film was shown uncut for the first time in 1971 on TV.

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    An interesting interpretation of German history
    To fully understand "The Kaiser's Lackey" (of "Man of Straw"), you need to understand who made the film and the purpose of it. This is an East German film and in the view of the German Democratic Republic (the Soviet-controlled East Germans), the enemies of the State are the upper and middle classes--particularly those who control the means of production (this is from Socialism 101 as taught by Professor Marx). So, the film looks at the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm II as a struggle between the workers and these ultra-nationalists--in a single representative town and featuring a particularly nasty and soul-less man (Diederich Heßling). The film follows Heßling from his childhood to adulthood--during which he used his position and privilege to exploit or ignore those beneath him, while sucking up to all those above him in the social system.

    While not obviously funny when you watch it today, the film is social satire. Naturally, the film was the party line in East Germany and was embraced. However, its reinterpretation of history (which ignored liberal reforms and blamed the Prussian middle-class and militarism on the Nazis) did not sit well in the West--especially since West Germany was being rebuilt and molded by the middle and upper classes. Because of this, the film was at first suppressed and only allowed to be released with a few judicious edits---most of which seem very harmless today but which were fuel for the Cold War at the time. Much of this analysis is NOT because I am some sort of a genius--the special features on the DVD featured a professor from UMass-Amhearst that analyzed and explained the film--something that you should definitely see.

    Well acted and thought-provoking. While its history lesson is a bit simplistic, it is well made and quite compelling.
    helpful•3
    1
    • planktonrules
    • Jul 8, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 31, 1951 (East Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • East Germany
    • Languages
      • German
      • French
    • Also known as
      • The Underdog
    • Filming locations
      • DEFA-Atelier, Babelsburg, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany
    • Production company
      • Deutsche Film (DEFA)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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