Ete und Ali

Short Summary (English)

Along with many other men, Ete and Ali are discharged from the army on the same day. Whereas most of the ex-recruits rush to catch the first train home, Ete and Ali stay behind, not sure what to do next. Ali 's hometown is a desolate dump of a place with not a soul waiting for him.

And Ete has just found out that his wife has been two-timing him, which he has to cope with first. The two friends are extremely unlike: Ali is good-natured, a somewhat gawky giant of a fellow, and a bundle of energy. Ete, on the other hand, is slight of build, shy and unable to hurt even a fly. The enterprising Ali suggests they head for Prague or Eisleben where the hottest women are supposed hang out. But they need their 1.0. cards for such a trip - and these are back home.

So off they go to Ete' s place after all. Ali wants to stand by his friend: chucking out Mary's lover and getting Ete and Mary to make it up again. Initially, the reconciliation takes off, but Ali, clumsy as ever, acts like a bull in a china-shop. Things simply do not work out in this relationship despite Ete' s well-meant, though rather odd, efforts to set up home and house. On the day of the house-warming, Ete leaves, convinced that Mary and Ali are hitting it off.

Much later, Ete and Ali bump into each other again. Ali still wants to talk Ete into going on the trip to Eisleben.

But Ete has become more assertive and self-confident and flatly turns down the offer.

Source: Progress Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Peter Kahane

Script

• Peter Kahane

Scenario

• Waltraud Meienreis
• Henry Schneider

Camera

• Andreas Köfer

Film Editing

• Sabine Schmager

Cast

• Jörg Schüttauf (Ete)
• Thomas Putensen (Ali)
• Daniela Hoffmann (Marita)
• Hilmar Eichhorn (Manni)
• Karin Gregorek (Frau vom Wohnungsamt)
• Otto Heidemann (Budak)
• Heinz Hupfer (Erwin)
• Ursula Am Ende (auch: Am-Ende) (Ältere Kollegin)
• Wolfram le Plath (Pascha)
• Tatjana Thomas (Studentin)
• Berenice Großkopf (Studentin)
• Else Sanden (Hausbesitzerin)
• Andrea Aust (Junge Kollegin)

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Assistant Director

• Peter Schmitz

Assistant Camera

• Klaus Zähler
• Lothar Marten

Production Design

• Paul Lehmann

Script Editing

• Andreas Scheinert

Music

• Rainer Böhm

Sound

• Rosemarie Linde
• Helga Kadenbach (Tonmischung)

Costume Design

• Ursula Strumpf

Make-Up

• Monika Mörke

Props

• Wigbert Stern

Production Management

• Wolfgang Rennebarth

Unit Production Management

• Horst Schmidt
• Helmut Andert

DEFA Photography

• Klaus Zähler

Short Summary (German)

Ete und Ali haben ihren Wehrdienst beendet, aber nach Hause wollen sie beide nicht. Ali graut es vor seinem langweiligen Dorf, und Ete weiß, dass seine Frau Marita einen Anderen hat. Der kräftige, tatendurstige Ali überredet Ete, mit ihm zusammen dessen Frau zurückzuerobern. Da Ete zu schüchtern ist, nimmt Ali die Sache in die Hand. Mit Gewalt kommt er bei Marita nicht an, also versucht er, den älteren Liebhaber Manni, Besitzer von Neubauwohnung und Auto, auszustechen. Ehe Ete es sich versieht, hat er einen alten Tatra, ein noch älteres Haus, den Fuhrbetrieb seines Schwiegervaters und eine Menge Schulden am Hals. Marita wird in einer halsbrecherischen Aktion entführt. Sie findet schließlich Gefallen an Ali, und Ete verlässt enttäuscht und der Bevormundung durch den Freund überdrüssig das Dorf. In einem Fernfahrer-Wohnheim treffen sich die beiden Männer eines Tages wieder.

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

Short Summary (Other Languages)

Finito il servizio militare, Ete e Ali si rifiutano di tornare a casa: Ali vuole evitare la monotonia del suo paesino ed Ete sa che sua moglie Marita ha un altro. L'intrepido Ali convince Ete a riconquistare la moglie, dapprima con la forza, poi con un sequestro. Marita s'innamora di Ali ed Ete, deluso dal comportamento dell'amico e pieno di debiti, abbandona il paesino. Dopo tanti anni i due si rincontreranno in un pensionato per ex camionisti. (Italienisch)