The Captain from Köpenick (1956)

A young shoemaker is arrested for stealing a small amount of money, and is released after being jailed for 15 years. He wants to have a pass to get a job and start anew, but without a job ... See full summary »

Director:

Helmut Käutner

Writers:

Carl Zuckmayer (play), Helmut Käutner (screenplay)

Stars:

Heinz Rühmann, Martin Held, Hannelore Schroth

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 11 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Heinz Rühmann	...	Wilhelm Voigt
Martin Held	...	Dr. Obermüller
Hannelore Schroth	...	Mathilde Obermüller
Willy A. Kleinau	...	Friedrich Hoprecht
Leonard Steckel	...	Adolph Wormser
Friedrich Domin	...	Jail Director
Erich Schellow	...	Capt. von Schlettow
Walter Giller	...	Willy Wormser
Wolfgang Neuss	...	Kallenberg (as Wolfgang Neuß)
Bum Krüger	...	Schutzmann Kilian
Joseph Offenbach	...	Wabschke
Ilse Fürstenberg	...	Marie Hoprecht, Voigts Schwester
Maria Sebaldt	...	Auguste Viktoria Wormser, seine Tochter
Edith Hancke	...	Sick girl
Ethel Reschke	...	Pleureusenmieze

Storyline

A young shoemaker is arrested for stealing a small amount of money, and is released after being jailed for 15 years. He wants to have a pass to get a job and start anew, but without a job he doesn't get a pass; and without a pass, he doesn't get a job. He gets into the net of Prussian bureaucracy, and can't see a solution. Until he enters a small Second-Hand Shop, and sees a Prussian Uniform that fits him like a second skin...

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Plot Keywords:

prussian soldier | militarism | uniform | impersonation | soldier | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

Official submission of West Germany for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 29th Academy Awards in 1957.

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Connections

Version of Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (2005)

User Reviews

A great film with a great screenplay

This is a great movie. Set in about 1910 in Prussia, a middle-aged shoemaker who has been in prison is in a catch-22 situation - he wants to leave to get work in Hungary, but can't get a passport. He can't get work because he doesn't have papers and can't get papers because he doesn't have work. The theme is really how the Germans of that time were so willing to follow senseless rules and figures of authority. The shoemaker buys a captain's uniform, commandeers a small troop of men, and tries to solve his problem by impersonating a captain. The actor playing Willem Voigt is wonderful - human and touching. Only problem is that the film is available on DVD but only from Germany, so I think it's not workable in our DVD machines.

Details

Country:

West Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

16 August 1956 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

The Captain from Koepenick

Filming Locations:

Fuhlsbüttel prison, Hamburg, Germany

Company Credits

Production Co:

Real-Film GmbH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Klangfilm-Stereocord

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1