Christmas stories
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Christmas stories |
| Country of production | GDR |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1986 |
| length | 93 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 0 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Christa Mühl |
| script | Christa Mühl Hans Heinrich |
| production |
DEFA for television in the GDR |
| music | Jürgen Corner |
| camera | Hans Heinrich |
| cut | Rita Hiller |
| occupation | |
| |
Christmas Stories is a German episode film by Christa Mühl from 1986. The Christmas film was produced by DEFA on behalf of East German television.
action
The most beautiful present
It's Christmas and six-year-old Matthias is about to be discharged from the Charité hospital in Berlin . He is waiting for his parents to take him home. He is not in his room when his father Manfred appears. Shortly afterwards, mother Silvia also arrives and it becomes clear that both parents live separately. Although Silvia had agreed that the son could spend Christmas with his father, she changed her mind after the son's accident. Manfred, on the other hand, has prepared everything for the son at home and there is a loud argument between the two spouses, which Matthias hears at the door. He runs away. The later appearing doctor Dr. Becker accuses Silvia that Manfred was even informed of his son's dismissal. When they notice that Matthias has disappeared, a large-scale search begins, in which the hospital staff also participate. Matthias appears a little later in his room. He has bandaged his arms, legs and his head and says that he can neither go to his father nor his mother, but would rather stay in the hospital. The parents come to their senses and will celebrate Christmas together. They drive away in the car together.
confusion
When Manfred and Silvia carry Matthias out of the hospital, he throws away his crutches. Dr. Becker fetches her and on the way back is surprised by the receptionist who secretly loves her. He's giving her a chocolate Santa Claus. After work, Dr. Becker goes to a self-service bistro on Alexanderplatz and buys a soup and a schnitzel. She puts the food down on a table and gets another drink. A man is already standing back at the table eating the soup. Dr. Becker stares at him in dismay and then demonstratively eats the schnitzel. Now it's the man who stares. He'll buy them both a coffee later, Dr. Becker merry Christmas and go. A little later she realizes that her bag, which is hanging under the table, is missing. She finds herself under the next table with her untouched food. Embarrassed, Dr. Becker after the man and hands him the chocolate Santa Claus as compensation.
Two under one hat
Dr. Shortly afterwards, Becker takes a taxi to drive home to Friedrichsfelde. She shares the car with the chaotic Günter Meyer, who, laden with skis, bags and other things, has to get the next train at Berlin-Lichtenberg station . He wants to go to the Ore Mountains. When he gets out of the taxi, he starts to lurch and makes the driver Rose Freitag want to avoid him. She has an accident and insults Günter. She wanted to go to the island of Hiddensee. Later in a clinic, she is treated by the man who had recently eaten at the snack bar and is a doctor. He gives her the chocolate Santa Claus when she is allowed to leave the clinic. Rose and Günter meet again in a hotel lobby. Günter says that he still lives with his divorced wife. Rose also lives separately and flees from her cold apartment. He doesn't know where to go after the missed train. They both end up in their apartment, eat fried potatoes and rave about some alcohol. Günter sets off and meets Mr. Höflich in the hallway, who is carrying a feeding basket with Soviet champagne. He manages to persuade Polite to sell him a bottle. As a thank you, he gives him the chocolate Santa Claus that Rose gave him.
Flowers for Ilse
As every year, Mr. Höflich wants to surprise his ex-wife Ilse with flowers for Christmas and be accepted by her again. Ilse, however, has moved and cannot be found at the new address. Herr Höflich goes to the next pub, where the elderly Erna sits down at his table. She reports that the landlord got married today and that his new wife had previously been with a no-good who always took advantage of her. It soon becomes clear that the bride is Ilse. Erna also soon realizes who she has in front of her. When Erna's husband picks up his wife, Mr. Höflich gives her the flowers, which she should pass on to Ilse in his name.
Two divas in silence
Mr. Höflich calls his sister Lydia to spend Christmas with her, but she says that this is not necessary because, as always, her friend Sibille Wendisch-Bitterfeld will visit her. Both old ladies are famous theater actresses, with Sibille still active. She just got back from Budapest the day before and brought all sorts of Hungarian delicacies with her. Both divas have a friendly conversation, but with slight tips. The doorbell rings and a telegram messenger appears. He turns out to be a passionate theater-goer and a big fan of the two women. You take him into the apartment, fulfill his autograph request and drink with him. Shortly afterwards, eight of Lydia's drama students come to celebrate with the teacher. In the end, Lydia's brother appears. When two drama students leave, Mr. Höflich pushes the chocolate Santa Claus into their hands.
Gifts of love
The two actors, the young Romeo and his girlfriend Juliet, are sitting in the S-Bahn. They didn't really want to give each other anything, but both broke the agreement. She gives him a metal bracelet for his watch and he gives her a hair clip. It turns out that he sold his watch for the purchase of the clasp. She, in turn, had her long hair cut off in order to finance the bracelet with the sale of the hair. They both start laughing. Erich Kern, who is supposed to play Santa Claus for the Wuttke family, is not at all happy. He stands in for his friend Willy, who used to be Santa Claus and is now in the hospital. He is unsure how to behave, but Romeo and Juliet, who want to appear as Santa Claus and angels in a children's home, give him courage and give him a chocolate Santa Claus when he gets out.
The substitute (Christmas) man
Erich Kern goes to the skyscraper in which the Wuttkes live. Since the elevator doesn't work, he has to walk up the stairs. So it happens that he gets confused with the apartment allocation that Willy had described to him from the elevator. It ends up with the Zilinski family, who have just received a visit from Klara Zilinski's twin sister. He distributes gifts, but the recipients are more astonished. Suddenly Father Wuttke appears and tries to reach Willy by phone. Only now does the error clear up. Klara's sister recognizes a colleague in Erich whom she has wanted to address several times at work. She never dared and is now happy. Wuttkes, who turn out to be a family with grown children, have long been tired of Willy's appearances. In the end, under the Santa Claus costume, it is not Erich, but Klara's sister, who thinks the situation is funny. Erich, on the other hand, believes he has Klara's sister in front of him in the neighboring apartment, whom he has adored for a long time. He asks her if they can meet one day, but Mr. Zilinski is against it. Later, Erich goes away with the real twin sister. He gives the chocolate Santa Claus to a porter not far from the skyscraper.
production
Christmas Stories was shot in Berlin and in the DEFA studio for feature films in Potsdam-Babelsberg. Lilo Sbreczny created the costumes and Harald Horn designed the film . The film had its television premiere on December 24, 1986 on DDR 1 . In October 2012 he was released on DVD by Icestorm with two other Christmas films as part of the DDR TV Archive series .
Love gifts takes on motifs from O. Henry's short story The Gift of the Wise , which was filmed in 1952 as part of the episode film Five Pearls .
criticism
"Cheerful television film," said the film service . For TV Spielfilm , Christmas Stories was “boring holiday food from the time before the fall of the wall”.
Web links
- Christmas stories in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Christmas stories at filmportal.de
Individual evidence
- ↑ Christmas stories . In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ See tvspielfilm.de