Final spurt (film)

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Movie
Original title Final sprint
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1970
length 80 minutes
Rod
Director Harry Meyen
script Peter Ustinov , translation: Willy H. Thiem
production Jürgen Richter
camera Heinz Christ
cut Barbara Block
occupation

Endspurt is a German television film from 1970 by Harry Meyen with Heinz Rühmann in the leading role of 80-year-old Sam Kinsale, who looks back on the stages in his life. At his side, Hans Söhnker , director Meyen and Willi Kowalj act as Kinsale in each of the three 20 year earlier stages of life. The comedy is based on a model by Peter Ustinov , who called his story a "biographical adventure".

action

The writer Sam Kinsale has become an old man. At the old age of 80, he thinks back and deals with his younger alter egos every 20 years. As a young man of 20 he met his great love Stella, with whom he would like to spend his life, and soon marries her. The next interim assessment will be made two decades later. Tired of marriage and Stella, Sam would like to part with Stella again, but his wife is expecting a child from him. This interim balance is accordingly mixed. Having become a well-known writer, Kinsale noticed more and more at the age of 60 that he had made compromises - professionally and privately - that sometimes left him frustrated. All in all, however, the aged Kinsale has to admit, he cannot complain about the course of his life.

Production notes

The final spurt was made in 1970 in the presence of Ustinov and was broadcast for the first time on Sunday, November 15, 1970 at 8:15 p.m. on ZDF. The film was released on DVD in 2015.

Otto Stich designed the production design, Claudia Stich the costumes.

reception

On the occasion of the television premiere in November 1970 one could read in the program magazine Hörzu : “Peter Ustinov's idea of ​​juxtaposing and juxtaposing several ages in a life is a joke. The list of actors from 'Endspurt' also has prominent names, with Heinz Rühmann at the top. The fact that high expectations were still not met was due to the direction of the otherwise resourceful Harry Meyen. She let loose the reins and conventionally brought a stage play to the screen as a stage play. "

Rühmann himself, who for a long time (until 1967) avoided television roles, commented in the 1970 production year on the great opportunity that television offered him over the cinema in the Münchner Abendzeitung as follows: “Become in the field of television offered me much better options. The German film has reached zero point, there are no more interesting offers. "Director Meyen praised his star Rühmann after filming:" He is really an unusual man. His discipline and hard work are unparalleled. "

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Final spurt in Der Spiegel 46/1970
  2. ↑ Listen to, 49/1970, p. 47

Web links