Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Captain from Köpenick

Original title: Der Hauptmann von Köpenick
  • 1956
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
ComedyDrama

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... Read allA 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 Pru... Read allA 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... Read all

  • Director
    • Helmut Käutner
  • Writers
    • Carl Zuckmayer
    • Helmut Käutner
  • Stars
    • Heinz Rühmann
    • Martin Held
    • Hannelore Schroth
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    1.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Helmut Käutner
    • Writers
      • Carl Zuckmayer
      • Helmut Käutner
    • Stars
      • Heinz Rühmann
      • Martin Held
      • Hannelore Schroth
    • 9User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 11 wins & 4 nominations total

    Photos20

    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Heinz Rühmann in The Captain from Köpenick (1956)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Heinz Rühmann
    Heinz Rühmann
    • Wilhelm Voigt
    Martin Held
    Martin Held
    • Dr. Obermüller
    Hannelore Schroth
    Hannelore Schroth
    • Mathilde Obermüller
    Willy A. Kleinau
    • Friedrich Hoprecht
    Leonard Steckel
    • Adolph Wormser
    Friedrich Domin
    Friedrich Domin
    • Jail Director
    Erich Schellow
    Erich Schellow
    • Capt. von Schlettow
    Walter Giller
    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
    Maria Sebaldt
    • Auguste Viktoria Wormser, seine Tochter
    Edith Hancke
    Edith Hancke
    • Sick girl
    Ethel Reschke
    • Pleureusenmieze
    Siegfried Lowitz
    Siegfried Lowitz
    • Stadtkämmerer Rosenkranz
    Willi Rose
    • Police sergeant
    Willy Maertens
    • Prokurist Knell
    • Director
      • Helmut Käutner
    • Writers
      • Carl Zuckmayer
      • Helmut Käutner
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Punch Bowl
    7.7
    The Punch Bowl
    The Devil Strikes at Night
    7.2
    The Devil Strikes at Night
    It Happened in Broad Daylight
    7.8
    It Happened in Broad Daylight
    Gervaise
    7.4
    Gervaise
    The Burmese Harp
    8.0
    The Burmese Harp
    Three from the Filling Station
    6.5
    Three from the Filling Station
    Ödipussi
    7.4
    Ödipussi
    The Bridge
    8.0
    The Bridge
    Great Freedom No. 7
    7.2
    Great Freedom No. 7
    Murderers Among Us
    7.4
    Murderers Among Us
    The Good Soldier Schweik
    6.7
    The Good Soldier Schweik
    Holly - The Movie
    6.4
    Holly - The Movie

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Official submission of West Germany for the 'Best Foreign Language Film' category of the 29th Academy Awards in 1957.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Host Lucie Výborné: Petr Nározný (2020)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    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.
    helpful•15
    2
    • lrumery
    • May 10, 2003

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 16, 1956 (West Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • West Germany
    • Language
      • German
    • Also known as
      • The Captain from Koepenick
    • Filming locations
      • Fuhlsbüttel prison, Hamburg, Germany
    • Production company
      • Real-Film GmbH
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Klangfilm-Stereocord
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    The Captain from Köpenick (1956)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for The Captain from Köpenick (1956)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.