If you have ever felt the
cold sweat of an empty bank account, this movie is for you.
It’s a German comedy from 1930, but the panic feels very modern.
Kibis is our main guy, and he is
seven months behind on his rent.
I don't know how he lasted that long without getting tossed into the street, but his landlord is finally done with him. 🏚️
The movie starts with this heavy feeling of being trapped.
Then, Kibis finds a brochure titled
'How to get rich and happy' and honestly, who hasn't clicked on a link like that lately?
It’s a bit like watching someone try to follow a 'Get Rich Quick' YouTube tutorial, but with more 1930s hats.
Willy Stettner plays Kibis with this kind of
frenetic energy that makes you tired just watching him.
He has a way of looking at a piece of paper like it’s the Holy Grail.
The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, which is a relief because a story about being homeless could be really depressing.
Instead, it leans into the absurdity of the advice in the brochure.
I found myself thinking about
The Burning Question while watching this, mostly because both films deal with characters pushed to the edge.
But here, the edge is a lot more slapstick.
Paul Hörbiger shows up and he’s always a delight to see in these old UFA-style productions.
He has this
very specific way of moving his hands when he’s annoyed.
The writing team of Walter Reisch and Felix Jackson really knew how to pace a joke.
Reisch later went to Hollywood and worked on some huge stuff, and you can see that wit starting to bloom here.
There is a scene in an office that feels so cluttered and claustrophobic it made my own desk feel clean.
The extras in the background of the street scenes sometimes look right at the camera.
It’s a little
imperfect, but it makes it feel more like a real slice of Berlin in 1930.
You can see the shadows of the era, but the movie wants you to laugh at the struggle.
If you enjoyed the lightheartedness of
The Smilin' Kid, you might find this one a bit more cynical, but still fun.
It’s definitely better than some of the heavier stuff from the same year, like
Mutter Erde.
Sometimes the music gets a bit too loud and hides the dialogue, but that might just be the old print I saw.
The brochure itself is the real star.
Every time Kibis reads a new 'rule' from it, he tries to change his personality completely.
It reminds me of those people who read one self-help book and become unbearable for a week. 📚
Georgia Lind is great as the female lead, though she doesn't get as much to do as I wanted.
She has this
sparky look in her eyes that suggests she knows the brochure is a total scam.
I noticed one scene where a glass of water on a table moves between shots, which was kind of funny to spot.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s a very
human movie.
It captures that specific type of desperation where you start believing in magic solutions because the real ones are too hard.
I’d recommend it to anyone who likes early sound films or just wants to see what people thought was funny before everything got so complicated.
It’s much more entertaining than
The Silent Command, which is way too stiff for my taste.
Things I Noticed:
- The landlord's mustache is impressively symmetrical.
- There is a dog in one scene that looks very confused to be there. 🐶
- Kibis wears his hat at a very anxious angle.
- The sound of the doorbell is surprisingly piercing.
- One of the office sets looks like it was made of cardboard, but in a charming way.
It’s a short watch, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.
You won't learn how to actually get rich, but you might feel a bit better about being happy with what you've got.
Or at least you'll be glad you aren't seven months behind on rent.
Probably.
Anyway, if you find a copy of this, give it a go on a rainy Sunday.
It’s got more soul than most modern comedies about money. 💰
