The Kaiser's Lackey

The Kaiser's Lackey

1951
1h 49m
6.5

6.5/10

24 votes • View on IMDb
Overview

Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On his honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favor. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the address. He stands behind the lectern in the pouring rain, saluting his Kaiser. The crowd is dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins...

Status: Released

Language: DE

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Production Information

Production Companies
DEFA
Production Countries
East Germany
Spoken Languages
German

Quick Facts

Original Title Der Untertan
Release Date August 31, 1951
Status Released
Language DE
IMDb ID tt0044170

Cast

Werner Peters
Werner Peters

Diederich Heßling

Paul Esser
Paul Esser

Regierungspräsident von Wulckow

Blandine Ebinger
Blandine Ebinger

Frau von Wulckow

Renate Fischer
Renate Fischer

Guste Daimchen

Carola Braunbock
Carola Braunbock

Emmi Heßling

Emmy Burg
Emmy Burg

Magda Heßling

Sabine Thalbach
Sabine Thalbach

Agnes Göppel

Friedel Nowack
Friedel Nowack

Mrs. Göpel

Friedrich Maurer
Friedrich Maurer

Göpel

Erich Nadler
Erich Nadler

Father Heßling

Gertrud Bergmann
Gertrud Bergmann

Mother Heßling

Ernst Legal
Ernst Legal

Zillich

Key Crew

Wolfgang Staudte
Director
Wolfgang Staudte
Screenplay
Fritz Staudte
Screenplay