Die Schweizermacher

Hilarious with several laugh-out-loud moments, it's a biting satire on a topic that was unknown to me until recently. Simple, unpretentious, even unambitious, but extremely enjoyable, and a time capsule of the 70s.

Hilarious and biting political satire is mainly intended as a vehicle for the popular comedian Emil Steinberger, whose humor hits the point here, but may be a challenge for a foreign audience; to this day, the most successful Swiss film.

I'm a non-Switzy who lives in Switzerland (although not for very long yet), and I am uncertain about what this country is really like. Of course there are all the stereotypes about cleanliness and orderliness and blind adherence to the rules, but then there is the daily reality of what I see here (which isn't as neurotic as you would imagine). I really enjoyed Die Schweizermacher. It was funny and interesting and the characters were likable (except Bodmer, of course, who was so endearingly and reliably unlikeable). The man shooting pigeons and Bodmer going home every night to eat the dinner made by his mother were simple and inconspicuous ironies, and the friendly nature of the other cop (whose name I've forgotten) was a pleasing contrast. I can't help but believe, though, that it was all based in a murky and xenophobic truth about Switzies and that secretly nothing has changed. Aah the Swiss. They're so strange.

The movie is still very up to date in terms of migration background and the difficulties of integrating. If the movie would be shot today it would definitely lack the political incorrectness, which is the essence of it all. Of course some of the finest swiss actors participate, giving it a unique touch One of my absolute all-time top favorite movie, and certainly one of those flicks you can watch over and over again.....play it again Sam. Oh yes a few other highlights of swiss flicks: Der schwarze Tanner, Höhenfeuer, Sonnyboy, and of course just recently released Sennentuntschi. Especially Sennentuntschi a combination of Thriller, Mysthic, and bloody Facts will be kept in mind.

The idea of an object and its creator is important to ascertain their relationship. It is important as a lot is spoken about the creator who is solely responsible for giving life to his creation. It is with this idea in mind that Swiss director Rolf Lyssy decided to shoot an intelligent film about people who are involved in "making Swiss people". One might wonder how people can be made ? The Swissmakers presents a very macho yet safe view about people who recommend names of persons who would be granted Swiss citizenship to become Swiss citizens. As Switzerland is a prosperous nation, certain guidelines have been prepared by Swiss government in order to discipline foreigners/immigrants. One can be sure that if watched with alert eyes, viewers can learn how bureaucracy can meddle with ordinary people's lives. If things are bad for some people then it can make a real mess of their cherished dreams of becoming Swiss citizens. The Swissmakers is more than 38 years old but it continues to exercise tremendous influence on all those who would like to call Switzerland their new home.