Die Erbschaft: A bit of slapstick misery

Is it worth your time?

If you've got a soft spot for the specific, weird energy of Karl Valentin and Liesl Karlstadt, then absolutely. It's short, punchy, and deeply uncomfortable in that way only 1930s German comedy could manage. If you need your movies to have a fast, modern rhythm, you will probably end up staring at your phone within five minutes. It's not for everyone, but it’s definitely for someone.

The whole premise is simple: poor folks get rich, and the chaos ensues. But the way they handle the poverty part? It feels heavy. You really feel the dust in that apartment. The bailiff scene is almost painful to watch, just because it’s so quiet and awkward.

Liesl Karlstadt is doing so much work with just her eyes in the early scenes. She has this way of looking at a cupboard like it’s personally offended her. It reminded me a bit of the tension in Sonntag des Lebens, where the silence does way more heavy lifting than the dialogue.

Then the inheritance arrives. The transition isn't exactly smooth. It’s clunky, honestly. It feels like the movie just hit a bump in the road and decided to keep driving anyway. But that’s the charm, right?

Odd little moments

• The way the furniture is arranged makes the room look way smaller than it actually is.
• Valentin’s movements are just… strange. He walks like he’s trying not to wake up the floorboards.
• The lighting in the second half is suspiciously bright compared to the start.

There’s a moment where they’re discussing the money, and one of them just stops talking to stare at a wall. I don't know if that was directed or if the actor just got lost for a second, but it stayed in the final cut. It’s weirdly human. It feels like real life, where people get distracted by nothing while their world is changing.

It’s not as chaotic as Majestät schneidet Bubiköpfe, but it has that same biting wit. The film doesn't care if you like these people. They’re kind of annoying. They’re kind of sad. They’re definitely desperate.

I left the screen feeling a bit cold, honestly. Maybe that’s the point? It’s not a cozy movie about getting rich. It’s a movie about how money is just another thing to be stressed about. 💸

Anyway, watch it if you want something that feels like a forgotten postcard from another century. Just don't expect a polished, clean ending.