Das kleine und das große Glück

• Susanne Düllmann: Erika Brandt
• Wilfried Ortmann: Karl Schwalk
• Hans -Joachim Büttner: stock Berger
• Paul Pentecost: Anton Nowatzki
• Rudolf Schröder: Grandpa Muschler
• Rudolf Fleck: Karrer
• Else Koren: Widow Schenk
• Ruth Maria Kubitschek: Mariechen
• Ostara grains: Inge
• Brigitte straw: Inge contactor
• Edwin Marian: Egon
• Klaus Gendries: Kurt
• Werner Berndt: Gustl
• Klaus Mertens: Theo
• Fritz Decho: Gotthold
• Helga Raumer: Trade union activist
• Kurt Ullrich: young workers
• Otto Dierichs: Director of Construction Union
• Heinz Rosenthal: Secretary of State
• Ernst Schicketanz: Dr. Thörn
• Joe Schorn: chauffeur
• Toni Meitzen: passerby
• John Hoyer: Railway Board
• Charlotte Friedrich: 1 gossip
• Anni Kynast: 3 gossip
• Ilona Ringer: 4 gossip

The small and the great fortune is a German contemporary film DEFA by Martin Hellberg from the year 1953.

Action

For the construction of a copper mine in Römertal that already be completed in nine months and should end the dependence on copper imports from the FRG, a road must be completed by the prospective place of construction to the port as soon as possible. So far worked the first youth brigade headed by Erika Brandt and an experienced brigade of workers under the leadership of Anton Nowatzki on the road. Especially the youth brigade in the newspaper for their slow operation has been criticized, but lacks experience and building materials. Site Manager Stock Berger called " Rubezahl ", but criticized the attitude of the brigade that would fritter away their time with gimmicks. As the road suddenly receives highest priority by the government and the completion time was reduced by a third, the youth brigade of experienced foremen Karl Schwalk is assigned. Him had previously admired the young people in the newspaper and also Erika, who is otherwise rather brittle, could imagine him as a friend.

Karl Schwalk appear on the site and making first acquaintance with his war comrades Karrer, who brings him to the widow Schenk and thus outside the Brigade barracks. Karl's arrival triggers among the unskilled laborers from euphoria and causes the young prevail before the party secretary Buchner, perform the work as a competition between brigades Brandt and Nowatzki. Buchner agrees, even if stock Berger is against it. Competition leads to a lively work scenarios. After work again Karl and Erika come closer, even if his brash nature surprises.

In Section 4, the brigade road Nowatzki gets in trouble, but runs a mud vein due to the road. The section must be excavated deep, so that the brigade would fall. Erika's Brigade provides some workers from the Solidarity Brigade, whereby both brigades do the extra work equally. Work is progressing rapidly, but shows up after some time that the mud vein running through a kink in section 7 of Erika's Brigade. Karl, however, do not want help from the other brigade. In order to prevent a relapse of his brigade in the competition, it can Excavating the affected stretch only to 2.5 meters deep and fill a gravel layer as a separation layer. Stock Berger reacts angrily to the botch, but Karl shows arrogant. He takes over the responsibility for the road, especially as a first stress test shows that the portion holds 7. Stock Berger withdraws angry and resigned and eventually sought his removal from the site. He wants to go to Rostock and help build the local harbor.

The following is a short rainy season, which the Section 7 withstand. The month of May is coming and with it a first premium award in the competition. In addition to Karl and Erika is considered a premium. Both dance together at the majesty. When Karl, however, during a walk is intrusive, flees Erika. The next day she keeps him on the job site at a distance and says he wants to wipe it with his head through the wall - be it at work or in love. He defended himself. Some time later again goes down heavy rain and Karl noted in a patrol that section 7 soften. A second path loss is recognized. Because the actual driver of the truck refused to drive on the street, Karl sets the wheel. Holds the road, but instead turn off the car, turns and runs Karl cocky street it from. The road in Section 7 aborts as construction manager Stock Berger had feared. In the following session Karl is overwhelmed with reproaches and Karrer, before Charles was warned, but to which he was standing, he falls in the back. Karl flees, but Karrer is hunted as an opportunist from the site. Stock Berger recognizes again that he should not have to retire when he noticed Charles mistake. He remains at the site and assumes again the construction management. The youth brigade gets down to repair the damage. While Karrer flees to the West, Karl remains and develops silently suggestions for particularly difficult sections of road. He shows them, encouraged by party secretary Buchner, Stock Berger, which agrees with the proposals. However, additional men and materials are required for the reaction, which can get through his good contacts with previous jobs at the end of Karl. Due to otherwise inaccessible working machines that can get Karl, the work of the brigade is progressing so well that the route can be initiated even before the scheduled deadline in the presence of a government delegation. Karl has now convinced Erika of his character and both are reconciled.

Production

The small and the great good fortune was from 1951. The screenplay was changed to state behest several times and received a pathetic propaganda, in parts even kitschy touch. The rotation itself took place in 1953. The costumes created Helga Scherff, the Filmbauten came from Artur Günther.

However, the uprising of the 17th June the summer of 1953 led to a reassessment of what the art of the GDR wants and how. As part of the 15th session of the Central Committee of the SED was decided " New Course ": films should be entertaining, varied and emotional. The small and the great happiness experienced on 13 November 1953 at the Berlin cinema Babylon and the DEFA film theater chestnut avenue and its premiere was a big failure. The criticism slating him, was the presentation - " schemes, dolls, phrases - often kitsch of the highest potency " - but as outdated and ridiculous. Given the Kritikerempörung tried director Hellberg, to take his own life.

The small and the great good fortune was only a short time in the cinema of the GDR and was shown on December 27th, 1953 DFF one on TV. Because of a few parallels to the Swedish film She danced one summer, the film received the unofficial title of scoffers you shoveled only one summer.

In the film, the title can be heard the song of happiness by Günter Kochan and the song of the youth brigade by André Asriel. It was the feature film debut of cinematographer Werner Bergmann.

Criticism

The contemporary critics noted that the film takes " the cheerful tour pack light [ ... ] the test drive a heavy goods train with record load of ideological cargo " show. The film is clichéd, the characters were created stereotyped as Karl WOULD in the film as a " demonic villain of the Nazi era ," while Erika as a " petty bourgeois gosling " appears. It lacks any interpersonal aspect in the film, which only superficially patrol the named in the title of "little luck".

The filmdienst called the film in retrospect a " cut and dried [n ], completely unrealistic [n ] contemporary film [ ... ] At best, as documentary proof of the theories of socialist realism ', adapted to film art ' useful. "