Les Faiseurs de Suisses

As an American living in France and working in Switzerland during the early 1980s, I'd often stop at the border and chat with a friendly Swiss customs/immigration officer. One morning, he asked me if I'd seen 'Die Scweizermacher' and, with a smile, recommended it to me. Accepting this as an 'official' and informed recommendation, I soon saw the film. It was in German with the other 3 official languages as subtitles but, because the lead character is played by Emile, the famous circus clown, and the stories within the film are so stereotypical, understanding it is no problem. (The film was shown one year in New York City at the Swiss Cultural Center on lower Broadway but seems not to be known in the US.) Besides the traditional European nationalities being screened for Swiss citizenship, the film fades on an American who bops into the office making the same request. For those who appreciate the Swiss — and who marvel at current US immigration procedures — this film is a gem!

For anyone who lives in Switzerland, this is a must-see.

It's true although exaggerated (sometimes !), very funny, touching, and just well made.

It brings to the fore all the foibles of the Swiss, strengths and weaknesses, and it's just a great movie to watch.

It's romantic too !

I highly recommend it to anyone who lives in or has lived in Switzerland, including all Swiss !!!

Emil is wonderful in it too, and I wish he had made more films, he is perfect in this role.

I sometimes have a hard time buying it since it's getting old, but I've found it a few times and given it to friends.

Get your copy now, if you can.

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.

This Film is very funny, it presents all the good and bad things of Switzerland: banks, watches, kindness, be neutral, be a bit closed minded and with a great attaccement to the traditions. The Story is very simple, we follow 2 people that must decide if some stranger can get the Swiss nationality. Full of amusing situation, with a strange love story, and full of "clichées" about swiss, italian, german,... people that can always bring a smile on the audience. It's the most popular Swiss film ever made, with about 1 Million visitors, it's a little number for the world movies, but very big for our country. Very amusing for all who knows a bit of the european culture or Switzerland

A very nice Swiss film, a comedy with genuine Swiss characters. The film proves in a wonderful way the opposite of the cliché about the Swiss humour.

The film is nowadays, nearly 30 years after its production, more actual than ever, disclosing a lot of the hidden intolerance of our Swiss mainstream community against everything which does not fit into what this community expects to be "Swiss behaviour".

The story is about how people can get Swiss citizenship. It is not exaggerated at all! (I as well had to enjoy this procedure few years ago, with the local police officers, coming into our house, checking what we where eating, asking us what we think about the Swiss Army, where do we go for shopping, talking to the neighbourhood, etc.).

I love this film.