Moritz in der Litfaßsäule

Short Summary (English)

In the eyes of his parents and teachers, Moritz Zack does not do his last name any honour. For Moritz is not at all snappy, or always on his toes - as his name "Zack" implies - but rather slow and thorough. This nine-year-old's behaviour especially infuriates his family: his father; director of a savings bank, has a lot to do and often brings work home; his mother; who, on top of working, is taking a correspondence course; and his three sisters. At school, especially in maths, Moritz is always lagging behind and consequently brings home school reports with nothing but bad marks - which does not exactly help to bring about harmony within the family. One day Moritz simply has had enough and runs away from home. An outdoor advertising pillar which serves as his hiding place not only becomes his new home, but also the realm of his fantasies. He makes the acquaintance of a "divorced" cat that likes drinking beer and the two of them mull over life's problems. He also meets Kitty, a girl from the circus. And finally, he gets to know a street cleaner who becomes his friend. The street cleaner understands Moritz's problems, is responsive and kind-hearted to him, but he makes Moritz understand that hiding cannot be the solution to his problems. Finally, Moritz returns to his family.

Source: Progress Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Rolf Losansky

Script

• Rolf Losansky

Scenario

• Christa Kożik

Camera

• Helmut Grewald
• Erich Günther (Trick)

Film Editing

• Ilse Peters

Cast

• Dirk Müller (Moritz)
• Dieter Mann (Vater Zack)
• Walfriede Schmitt (Mutter Zack)
• Rolf Ludwig (Straßenfeger)
• Theresia Wider (Stimme Katze)
• Julia Jäger (Suse)
• Iris Riffert (Salome)
• Franziska Hausding (Sina)
• Dorit Gäbler (Tante Pia)
• Dietmar Richter-Reinick (Polizist Zampe)
• Gertraud (auch: Trude) Kreißig (Frau Zampe)
• Franziska Troegner (Lehrerin)
• Jörg Panknin (Lehrer)
• Gerd Staiger (Direktor)
• Barbara Schnitzler (Clown-Frau)
• Werner Sperlich (Clown)
• Theo Sperlich (Clown)
• Dieter Jäger (Clown)
• Brigitte Beier (Kassenfrau in Sparkasse)
• Ruth Kommerell (Sekretärin)
• Helmut Schreiber (Braumeister)
• Willi Neuenhahn (Brauer Emil)
• Roland Richter (Brauer Horst)
• Günter Matthes (Brauer)
• Benno Mieth (Polizeioffizier)
• Rahel Bringmann (Kitty)
• Ernst Krämer (Kittys Vater)
• Adelheide Hein (Kassenfrau im Zirkus)
• Hannes Stelzer (Einlasser)
• Gertraut Last (Aufgeregte Zuschauerin)
• Eberhard Schäfer (Aufgeregter Zuschauer)
• Carola Bläss (Zuschauerehepaar)
• Wolfgang Krone (Zuschauerehepaar)
• Mathias Möller (Marcus)
• Susanne Schwab (Marcus' Mutter)
• Dirk Jungnickel (Marcus' Vater)
• Michael Roth (Robert)
• Alexander Rohde (Thomas)
• Jan Ostinga (Sylvio)
• Christian Richter (Dirk)
• Karin Gäbert (Karin)
• Grit Wüstenhagen (Nachbarmädchen)
• Regine Albrecht (Sekretärin vom Direktor)

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Assistant Director

• Dirk Jungnickel

Assistant Camera

• Siegfried Skoluda

Production Design

• Jochen (auch: Joachim) Keller

Script Editing

• Gabriele Herzog

Music

• Karl-Ernst Sasse

Sound

• Rosemarie Linde
• Helga Kadenbach (Tonmischung)

Costume Design

• Joachim Dittrich

Make-Up

• Bernhard Schlums
• Franziska Berger

Props

• Hans-Joachim Bauer

Production Management

• Manfred Renger

Unit Production Management

• Wolfgang Teich
• Wolf-Dieter Zech

Design

• Frank Wittstock (Trick)
• Heiko Ebert (Trick)
• Wolfgang Chevallier (Trick)

DEFA Photography

• Klaus Zähler

Short Summary (German)

Wenn der 9-jährige Moritz ein Bild malt, hat die Sonne Ohren und die Vögel tragen Hüte. Der Junge hat eine blühende Fantasie, die von den Erwachsenen jedoch nicht gewürdigt wird. In der Schule fällt es ihm schwer, Aufgaben in der vorgegebenen Zeit zu lösen und seine Noten sind schlecht. Moritz‘ Eltern haben keine Zeit für die Sorgen ihres Kindes. Er beschließt von zu Hause abzuhauen und findet in einer Litfaßsäule bei einer sprechenden Katze einen Ort zum Nachdenken.

Short Summary (Other Languages)

A nove anni Moritz è talmente lento, da far disperare tutti: suo padre, un freddo calcolatore, sua madre, sempre di corsa fra lavoro, famiglia e università a distanza, il suo insegnante di matematica, che per colpa sua non porta mai a termine una lezione. Le sue tre sorelle lo chiamano "perditempo", quando invece Mortiz non è altro che un bambino che ama riflettere attentamente e fantasticare. Sentendosi frainteso da tutti, decide di nascondersi per qualche giorno nella colonna per le affissione sulla piazza del mercato. Qui fa amicizia con un gatto parlante, che gli spiega come funziona il mondo, con una bambina del circo e con uno spazzino, che gli spiega come la fuga non sia la soluzione ai suoi problemi. Moritz decide così di rientrare a casa e di farsi largo da solo. (Italienisch)