Joseph Vilsmaier's last film is in the cinema

Created: 02/10/2022Updated: 02/10/2022 09:10

By: Michael Schleicher

"Take your life into your own hands": Michael "Bully" Herbig as Boandlkramer in Joseph Vilsmaier's last film "The Boandlkramer and Eternal Love".

© Hendrik Heiden

February 11, 2022 marks the second anniversary of the death of Joseph Vilsmaier.

The Boandlkramer and Eternal Love is the director's last film (1939-2020).

Now the comedy with Michael "Bully" Herbig and Hape Kerkeling can be seen in the cinema.

Our criticism:

Not afraid of big words - so yes, this film is his legacy.

It is the last that Joseph Vilsmaier (1939-2020) was able to complete, and we can assume that he was very aware of this when shooting in 2019.

"The Boandlkramer and Eternal Love" was also a race by the director and trained cameraman against cancer: anyone who knows how "Sepp" ticked, as those who knew him called him, know how much he liked the premiere would have welcomed.

Joseph Vilsmaier absolutely wanted to invite to the cinema premiere

It wasn't meant to be and the pandemic came on top of the sad news of death, so that after many months of waiting for the cinema release, Vilsmaier's wonderful, lovable and funny comedy is now only running on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service.

This may be understandable, not least for economic reasons, but it's a pity.

Because this last work belongs on the big screen - Vilsmaier himself shows in the film how important cinema was to him: There is this one scene that takes place in the inn in Waldkirchen, the village where the Boandlkramer almost turned the world upside down lifts.

People sit close together, chatter.

Then it gets dark, the projector rattles in the back and "Dick und Doof" kick each other on the screen in front - everyone in the hall has a blast.

Film as a shared experience, also as an experience that creates a community – that was important to Vilsmaier.

You can hardly stage it more beautifully.

Michael "Bully" Herbig, Marcus H. Rosenmüller and Ulrich Limmer wrote the screenplay

The story of "The Boandlkramer and Eternal Love" is quickly told: In a Bavarian village, sometime in the fifties, little Maxl is urgently waiting for his father to return from Russian captivity, because his mother Gefi wants to marry the mayor's son remarry.

After an accident, the boy hovers between life and death;

the Boandlkramer is already sitting in the corner of the room to take him away - but he is so touched by Maxl's mother and her concern for the child that he moves away: "There must be a misunderstanding.

The Bua was simply tired.” This arbitrary act of the godfather certainly confuses heaven and hell;

the devil even sees his chance to plunge the course of the world into chaos.

Where initially it's all about Boandlkramer in love, the apocalypse suddenly threatens:

The team bows to Joseph Vilsmaier

The screenplay by Michael "Bully" Herbig, Marcus H. Rosenmüller and Ulrich Limmer may be expected, but it has pace and wit.

This also applies to Vilsmaier's production.

In these 90 minutes or so, the director once again brought together the themes that were important to him and shaped his work: There is of course the great love for his homeland, for the mountains, landscapes, above all for the people and their dialect.

"Live and let live" was his motto: In the film, Swabia and Saxony also go to heaven;

an archangel even babbles Hessian.

But there is also laughing together and a deep, honest (community) humanity.

This seems all the more powerful since the breach of civilization in the World War forms the background of many Vilsmaier films, including this one.

And last but not least there is the team behind and in front of the camera,

A discovery: Josef "Seppi" Staber.

© Hendrik Heiden

In “The Boandlkramer and Eternal Love” many people take part again, bow to Vilsmaier – even if it is in the smallest supporting roles: Götz Otto, for example, with whom he shot “Marlene”;

Florian Stetter and Markus Krojer, whom he cast in "Nanga Parbat".

From the first "Boandlkramer" film, Jürgen Tonkel and Sebastian Bezzel are back, alongside Herbig in the title role.

The latter is – once again – the rascal who can't be blamed.

Great fun: Hape Kerkeling as the devil.

© Hendrik Heiden

The coolness of model Nadja Auermann as the gatekeeper of hell almost freezes it over.

On the other hand, Hape Kerkeling as the devil (with a bleached quiff, revue singing and a model railway in the basement - "a little hobby of mine") clearly enjoys gambling and destroying: it's fun to watch him.

Josef "Seppi" Staber is a discovery as Max - and Michael "Bully" Herbigs Boandlkramer is such a decent, lovable guy that we all can only wish to be taken by him one day.

Until then, however, there is still time.

Because it is worth living.

Sepp knew that.