Why Flachsmann als Erzieher is basically the 1930s version of 'The Breakfast Club'

Is it worth the watch?

If you've ever had a teacher who seemed to enjoy giving out detention a little too much, you'll probably get a kick out of this. It’s a 1930s film, so don't expect 4K visuals, but the drama is surprisingly fresh.

People who like old-school satire or classroom rebellions will enjoy it. If you can't stand black-and-white movies where people yell in German, you should probably skip it.

I wasn't expecting much from a movie called Flachsmann als Erzieher. Honestly, I thought it would be a boring lecture about pedagogy or something equally dry. 😴

But then I saw Flachsmann’s face. He looks like a man who has never had a single dessert in his entire life.

He’s the school director, and he rules the place with a heavy hand. The way he looks over his tiny spectacles makes you want to hide your homework immediately.

Then we get Jan Flemming. He’s the new teacher and he’s... *gasp*... kind to the children.

The movie does this great thing where it shows the classroom as this dark, cramped space. You can almost smell the chalk dust and the old wood of the desks. 🏫

There’s this one scene where a kid is just trying to exist, and Flachsmann looks at him like he’s a bug under a microscope. It’s so awkward that it actually becomes funny.

It reminds me a bit of the heavy atmosphere in The Passion of St. Francis, but with more shouting about school supplies. The stakes feel huge, even though they’re just talking about how to teach kids.

I noticed that the sound is a bit weird in some parts. Since it was 1930, they were still figuring out how to record voices without it sounding like they’re in a tin can.

Sometimes the background noise just cuts out. It makes the silence in the hallways feel even more spooky and oppressive.

The acting is very "theater-style." Everyone gestures with their whole bodies. 🎭

If you’ve seen Samson und Delila, you know how these old films love their big, dramatic poses. Flachsmann does a lot of that.

One thing that really stuck with me was the way the other teachers act. They’re all terrified of the director. They scurry around like mice whenever they hear his boots on the floor.

It’s a bit sad, actually. You see these grown men losing their dignity just to keep a job in a miserable school.

The movie gets way more interesting when Flemming starts winning the kids over. You can see the light coming back into their eyes, which sounds cheesy, but it works.

It’s definitely a different vibe than something like A Girl from the Reeperbahn, which feels much more like the "wild" side of that era. This is the boring, strict side of Germany that everyone was trying to escape.

There’s a subplot about a secret that Flachsmann is hiding. I won't spoil it, but it’s the kind of twist that makes you go, "Oh, of course!"

The pacing is a little clunky. Some scenes in the faculty room go on for about three minutes too long. 🕒

I found myself looking at the stuff on the walls instead of listening to the dialogue. There are some really weird maps back there.

Also, the mustache game in this movie is top-tier. Every man has a different, very specific style of facial hair. It’s impressive.

I think the movie is trying to say that being a "leader" isn't just about making people afraid of you. It’s a simple message, but it’s handled with enough humor that it doesn't feel like a Sunday school lesson.

The ending is a bit rushed. One minute everything is a mess, and the next, it’s all wrapping up with a neat little bow.

I wish we got to see a bit more of the fallout. But hey, it’s a comedy, so I guess we need a happy ending.

Is it a masterpiece? Probably not. But it’s a very human story that hasn't aged as much as you’d think.

Specific things I liked:

• The way the students whisper when the door opens.
• The incredibly loud clinking of tea cups.
• Flemming's messy hair compared to everyone else's slicked-back look.
• That one teacher who looks like he's about to fall asleep in every scene.

Anyway, if you find a copy of this, give it a shot. It’s a good reminder that people have been fighting against bad bosses since the beginning of time. ✊

It’s not as flashy as the stuff we get now, but it has a soul. And sometimes that’s enough.