Atkins

Short Summary (English)

It is the turn of the century in the USA. Tom Atkins, a trapper and a woodsman in his mid-fifties, finds Wild West city life repellent. He therefore decides to return to an isolated retreat in the mountains. In a lonely mountain valley, far off the beaten path, Atkins now makes his home in a cabin which he built himself some years before. However, Atkins soon discovers that he is not alone in the valley. Some members of an Indian tribe, having run away from a reservation, have also found refuge in the valley. At first, the Indians have had more contact with each other, the Indians ask him to produce arms and ammunition for them. Using the money he received from selling the Indians´ animal furs, Atkins enters a game of poker and wins big. However, in a barn, a gang of bandits rob Atkins of his winnings. Journeying back to the valley, Atkins is unaware of the fact that the young geologist Morris, who lent him a helping hand during the attack, is clandestinely following him. Morris is able to worm his way into Atkins’s confidence and the two men end up living together in the mountain cabin. After a few weeks however, the reason, why Morris followed Atkins into the mountains becomes crystal clear. During the robbery, Morris noticed that Atkins was wearing a copper amulet which led him to believe that there must be bountiful copper deposits somewhere in the mountains. While searching for copper, Morris espies an Indian who has been watching him. After killing the Indian in cold blood, Morris takes fight, but he returns to the valley with a regiment of soldiers. Atkins feels that Morris has deceived him. A violent argument ensues, Atkins has stopped Morris, he is unable to stop the rest of the intruders. Indeed, he finds himself in the precarious of being between the white solders and the Indians. Eventually, Tom Atkins also falls victim to a bullet.

Source: PROGRESS Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Helge Trimpert

Script

• Helge Trimpert

Camera

• Peter Brand

Film Editing

• Thea Richter

Cast

• Oleg Borissow (Atkins)
• Peter Zimmermann (Morris)
• Colea Rautu (Der Alte)
• Barbara Dittus (Rose)
• Margit Bendokat (Emilie)
• Kerstin Heine (Clytie)
• Vasile Nitulescu (Irrer)
• Papil Panduru (Häuptling)
• Sorin Mocanu (Indianerjunge)
• Heinz Hupfer (Lacroix)
• Axel Werner (Spieler)
• Jon Mierloiu (Indianer)
• Gheorghe Mazilu (Indianer)
• Holger Franke (Arbeiter im Camp)
• Peter Heiland (Arbeiter im Camp)
• Roman-Eckhard Galonska (Arbeiter im Camp)
• Peter Pauli (Mann im Saloon)
• Hans-Jochen Röhrig (Mann im Saloon)
• Herbert Kunkel (Mann im Saloon)

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Assistant Director

• Dorit Albrecht

Assistant Camera

• Frank Bredow
• Dieter Jaeger

Scenario

• Stefan Kolditz

Production Design

• Erich Krüllke

Script Editing

• Andreas Scheinert

Music

• Jürgen Kehrt

Sound

• Peter Foerster
• Helga Kadenbach (Tonmischung)

Costume Design

• Werner Bergemann
• Fides Joppien

Make-Up

• Jürgen Holzapfel
• Erich Runge

Props

• Georg Wüstenberg
• Andreas Schröder

Production Management

• Siegfried Kabitzke

Unit Production Management

• Holger Bohm
• Egon Schlarmann

DEFA Photography

• Dieter Jaeger

Dubbing (Dubbing Actor)

• Horst Hiemer (Atkins)
• Walter Wickenhauser (Der Alte)
• Willi Neuenhahn (Irrer)
• Horst Manz (Häuptling)

Short Summary (German)

Die USA zur Zeit der Jahrhundertwende. Der Mittfünfziger Atkins zieht sich aus dem lauten Stadtleben in die Einsamkeit zurück. Er sucht Zuflucht in jenem abgeschiedenen Tal, in dem er früher einmal lebte. Indianer, die sich dorthin aus dem Reservat geflüchtet haben, misstrauen ihm, lassen ihn nicht mehr aus den Augen, weil sie glauben, er könne sie verraten. Langsam aber wächst Vertrauen zwischen ihnen. Die Indianer beauftragen Atkins, Waffen für sie zu kaufen. Auf dem Rückweg ins Tal folgt ihm ein Mann namens Morris, schleicht sich in sein Vertrauen, lebt bei ihm. Doch seine wahre Absicht ist die Aufspürung von Bodenschätzen, er hatte bei Atkins einen Stein gesehen, der auf Kupfervorkommen schließen ließ. Schließlich findet er Kupfer, ermordet einen ihn beobachtenden Indianer und flieht. Doch er kommt wieder - mit Soldaten. Atkins erschießt Morris. Die Eindringlinge aber kann er nicht aufhalten, er fällt selbst einer Kugel zum Opfer.

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

Short Summary (Other Languages)

A cavallo fra il 1800 e il 1900 Atkins, un cinquantenne americano, abbandona la chiassosa vita di città per ritirarsi nella sua valle, abitata ora da un gruppo di indiani fuggiti dalla riserva. Dapprima sciettici, gli indian iniziano a fidarsi e chiedono ad Atkins di comprar loro delle armi. Rientrando alla valle, un certo Morris conquista la fiducia di Atkins e va a vivere da lui. In verità, dopo aver visto in casa una pietra che indicherebbe la presenza di rame, il tipo spera d'impossessarsi delle ricchezze nel sottosuolo. Individuato un giacimento, Morris uccide l'indiano che l'ha spiato e fugge. Vedendolo tornare con dei soldati, Atkins uccide Morris, ma non riuscirà a frenare l'ira degli indigeni, che uccideranno anche lui. (Italienisch)