The Kaiser's Lackey

A biting, satirical portrait of a sycophantic opportunist, watching him grovel and dominate is both darkly funny and chillingly relevant.

Directed by

Wolfgang Staudte

Genres

Drama, History, Comedy

Starring

Werner Peters, Paul Esser, Blandine Ebinger

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...

How it feels

Satirical, cynical, dark and absurd. Measured and needs your attention.

About

Power, corruption, class, betrayal

Content

Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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Watch the trailer on YouTube (opens in a new tab)