Herr Puntila and His Servant Matti

Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti

With Curt Bois, Heinz Engelmann, Maria Emo, Erika Pelikowsky and Inge Holzleitner

This first film adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s play about class distinctions was made in 1955 in the Vienna Rosenhügel studios, but it was only premiered five years later. Curt Bois plays the rich capitalist Puntila who only becomes somewhat agreeable when he is drunk (which he is most of the time in this film). In his inebriated state, Puntila not only gets amorously involved with three different ladies but also suggests that his daughter Eva marries his chauffeur Matti. The chauffeur, however, doesn’t really agree…