Ach, du fröhliche ...

Short Summary (English)

It was going to be a cosy Christmas Eve spent in the circle of the family. Managing director Walter Lörke had been looking forward to it very much. But then his daughter Anne has a surprise for him: Thomas Ostermann, his son-in-law to be. And that’s not all - Lörke is to become a grandfather too. All this does not suit him at all, especially since the young man very clearly expresses his critical stance towards the State for whose ideals Lörke has fought for his entire life. An argument ensues - of all times - on Christmas Eve. Furious, Lörke leaves the flat. But he is seized with a feeling of restlessness: he wants to know what kind of person his future son-in-law is and why it ist hat he has such a negative attitude towards the State. It turns out that Thomas has had some bitter experiences with opportunistic attitudes of many adults and although he was top of his class, he was not admitted to university due to his critical opinions. Lörke speaks to many people about Thomas and realizes that the boy may be embittered, but in terms of his own convictions, he has indeed acted honestly. With a better understanding of Thomas, Lörke returns home and reports what he has found out: It is worth fighting for Thomas, he is a valuable person and is recognized as a future member of the family.

Source: PROGRESS Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Günter Reisch

Script

• Hermann Kant

Camera

• Horst E. Brandt

Film Editing

• Lena Neumann

Cast

• Erwin Geschonneck (Walter Lörke)
• Mathilde Danegger (Großmutter)
• Karin Schröder (Anne Lörke)
• Arno Wyzniewski (Thomas Ostermann)
• Günter Junghans (Karl Lörke)
• Rosemarie Schelenz (Peggy)
• Herwart Grosse (Herr Ostermann)
• Marianne Wünscher (Frau Klinkenhöfer)
• Walter Jupé (Herr Klinkenhöfer)
• Karla Runkehl (Frau Siebkorn)
• Gerd Ehlers (Betrunkener Fleischer)
• Erik Veldre (Studentenvertreter)
• Jutta Wachowiak (Frau des Studentenvertreters)
• Fred Delmare (Taxifahrer)
• Siegfried Kilian (Abschnittsbevollmächtigter)
• Horst Jonischkan (Gefreiter Nasprzik)
• Günter Rüger (Mann aus dem Büro)
• Klaus Gehrke (Junger Arbeiter)
• Hans Bussenius (Filmvorführer)
• Yvonne Merin (Frau mit Hunden)
• Walter E. Fuß (Professor Flimmrich)
• Johannes Frenzel (Druckerarbeiter)
• Erich Weber (Druckerarbeiter)
• Horst Giese (Schaffner)
• Rudolf Mühle (Dicker Mann)
• Gerhard Scholz (Direktor)
• Ingrid Schnell (Serviererin)
• Hans Hardt-Hardtloff (Betrunkener)
• Ingeborg Krabbe (Kellnerin)
• Wolfgang Roeder (Mann am Haustelefon)
• Dieter Pröhl (Direktor)
• Paul Berndt (Gesellschaft bei Siebkorn)
• Ursula Blank (Gesellschaft bei Siebkorn)
• Arthur W. Neubert (Gesellschaft bei Siebkorn)
• Hermann Kant (Gesellschaft bei Siebkorn)

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Assistant Director

• Rolf Losansky

Assistant Camera

• Peter Süring

Production Design

• Alfred Hirschmeier

Script Editing

• Gerhard Hartwig

Music

• Helmut Nier

Sound

• Bernd Gerwien

Costume Design

• Walter Schulze-Mittendorff

Make-Up

• Kurt Tauchmann
• Ruth Kwiatkowski

Props

• Theo (auch: Theodor) Görgens

Production Management

• Hans Mahlich

Unit Production Management

• Oskar Ludmann
• Gerrit List

DEFA Photography

• Josef Borst

Narrator

• Gerry Wolff (Erzähler)

Short Summary (German)

Weihnachten 1961. Der Arbeitsdirektor des VEB "13. August", Walter Lörke, wünscht seinen Kollegen ein geruhsames Fest, wie er es selbst auch im Kreis seiner Lieben zu verbringen gedenkt. Doch Tochter Anne hat eine Überraschung parat - in Gestalt des zukünftigen Familienmitglieds Thomas Ostermann. Dass sie Thomas zu heiraten gedenkt, irritiert Vater Lörke, dass sie ihm ihre Schwangerschaft verheimlicht hat, empört ihn, und dass sich Thomas auch noch als entschiedener Kritiker des Arbeiter- und Bauern-Staates zu erkennen gibt, bringt ihn vollends in Rage. Die friedliche Weihnacht ist dahin, doch Vater Lörke, der in der ersten Wut das Haus verlässt, besinnt sich. Plötzlich erscheint ihm der junge Mann ganz akzeptabel, und er versucht herauszufinden, was Thomas zu dieser negativen Haltung dem Staat gegenüber gebracht haben könnte. Lörke stimmt der Hochzeit zu.

(Quelle: Das zweite Leben der Filmstadt Babelsberg. DEFA-Spielfilme 1946-1992)

Short Summary (Other Languages)

Natale 1961. Walter Lörke, direttore dell’azienda statale "13 agosto", augura ai suoi colleghi di trascorrere un tranquillo Natale, proprio come quello che lui passerà in compagnia dei suoi cari. Non immagina che sua figlia gli farà una sorpresa, presentandogli Thomas Ostermann, suo futuro genero. La decisione di sposarsi irrita papà Lörke, il segreto di una gravidanza lo indigna e scoprire che Thomas è un deciso oppositore della DDR lo manda in bestia. Ormai la quiete delle feste sembra turbata, ma papà Lörke, che in un primo accesso di collera aveva lasciato casa, ritorna sui suoi passi: riconoscendo che il ragazzo non è poi tanto male e capendo perché si oppone al regime, papà Lörke acconsentirà al matrimonio. (Italienisch)