Director Kurt Hoffmann already made a film adaptation of Curt Goetz' play in 1953 with Goetz himself in the lead (qv). The script of this adaptation is more elaborated, that is: it shows the events before the trial starts. The set-up of the film is remarkable: the set-design is very unrealistic: there are no real walls or streets etc, the grass is definitely out of plastic, everything is artificial; the main colour in this colour film is white. In this way Hoffmann tries to set the mood of the play - romantic humanity and human dignity - against that of a rational environment.
The idea of the set-design is fine and the design is beautifully executed (and photographed), however in the end Hoffmann does not really combines this with the play; it remains an idea. The play is still there in its almost original form and long dialogues; either the writers or Hoffmann were/was able to make the design an intrinsic part of the play, that should have been almost re-written to achieve this.
Still with Heinz Rühmann and Liselotte Pulver in the lead this still is a very enjoyable film, though with his first adaptation Hoffmann made a better film.
