The Best Years (1965)

In 1945, Ernst Machner returns home from the war in his mid-20s. Tuche would like him to weave for a living, but his comrades persuade him to become a young teacher instead. This decision ... See full summary »

Director:

Günther Rücker

Writer:

Günther Rücker

Stars:

Horst Drinda, Lissy Tempelhof, Herwart Grosse

Cast

Credited cast:
Horst Drinda	...	Ernst Machner
Lissy Tempelhof	...	Hilde Tamm
Herwart Grosse	...	Schneller
Rolf Hoppe	...	Lehrer Klein
Lothar Förster	...	Biologielehrer
Harry Hindemith	...	Meister
Bruno Carstens	...	Parteisekretär
Hansjoachim Büttner	...	Volksschullehrer
Helga Labudda	...	Bettina
Klaus Piontek	...	Mitschüler
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Herta Belkow	...	Lehrerin
Christoph Beyertt	...	Lehrer (as Christoph Bayertt)
Alwin Brosch	...	Lehrer
Hans-Gotthilf Brown	...	Lehrer
Eberhard Dassdorf	...	Junger Mann

Storyline

In 1945, Ernst Machner returns home from the war in his mid-20s. Tuche would like him to weave for a living, but his comrades persuade him to become a young teacher instead. This decision begins to pose demands on him, however. Machner takes his leave of Hilde Tamm, who had lovingly taken him in as a homecomer. As a classroom teacher working in small villages, he starts a career that constantly puts him in new locales and new challenging situations. At the beginning of the 50s, he becomes the director of a Gymnasium steeped in tradition. There, the "average" teacher and extensively bourgeois faculty have already rejected the "Reds" and headed to the West. Machner is no professional match for the departed teachers, but he learns the more he teaches. Soon, the outright rejection of the conservative students collapses under his attention and concentration. New assignments await him, but he is skeptical as whether or not he has grown enough to handle them. Nevertheless, Machner chooses to...

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

East Germany

Language:

German

Release Date:

1 October 1965 (East Germany)

Also Known As:

The Best Years

Company Credits

Production Co:

Deutsche Film (DEFA)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1