Die Siebtelbauern

When an old "Bauer" is found dead, his highly unusual "last Will and Testament" puts in motion an avalanche of events, and many dirty old secrets are unearthed, causing an uproar in the small community of landowners and peasants.

This film offers many parallels to societies of various times. The basic element of two sets of justice, one for the (untouchable) upper class, and another for the little people, who have to accept whatever is dished out from above, can be likened to similar injustices happening to this very day.

The brutality of the wrongs committed to the innocent is often shown in graphic realism. Viewers should be mindful of this, to not be offended by any shocking scenes. Non-gratuitous, thus essential to plot development, the violence furthers the story line.

This film can be categorized as a tragedy, although a small glimmer of justice and hope for a better tomorrow is offered in the end. The occasional expressions of human decency and compassion are noteworthy. Only when others realize an injustice and show this by their acts of kindness towards the victims, can we be assured that a better future is before us. Internationally acclaimed, this film is well worth a watch!

An extended demonstration that proletarian struggle is as likely in the pastures as in the steelworks. We side with the peasants as they first feel their way into owning the means of production, then fight the hovering capitalist class as they snipe from the sidelines. A bucolic fantasy overtaken by a sobering chill and a sickening end.

This film is not about an idealized, bucolic, peaceful country life. Rather it portrays the harsh reality of the feudal system that continued n Europe until well into the 20'th century. Peasants were considered "uppity" if they dared to believe they could be the equal of Farmers, and women were so victimized that a woman reporting her violent rape could be sent to prison for having the audacity to accuse her employer of a crime. In fact, European peasants were in many ways as ill treated as the slaves of the Deep South. I enjoyed this film for its cultural realism and historical value, but the story is quite depressing. I rate it a 7.

This is a terrific film which I found really gripping because of its story of the unequal fight between a group of peasants and local landowners. So few films seem to portray inequality and the fight for justice that The Inheritors seemed to me like a breath of fresh air. I thought the story was simply but beautifully told, the scene at the communal meal where the characters assert their right to the ownership of the farm against the wishes of the brutal foreman is understated and powerful. The way they are shown standing up to his bullying against the backdrop of the place set as usual for the now dead owner is keenly observed and uplifting. The film looks superb, its rural setting is very authentic, and the performances of the actors catch well the growing confidence and political awareness of the peasants, always laced with elements of self-doubt. There is a tragic core to the film and a melancholy tone but it is never dull or depressing, the characters seem too busy with trying to make good their chance of a better life.

A most unusual film, set in Alpine Austria before the 2nd World War, in which innocent peasants are pitted against greedy,malevolent farmers. The peasants inherit their farm after their master is murdered, but the other farmers and the local priest cannot accept that peasants should own land. So after the initial exuberance of inheritance, the film gets bleaker as the farmers plot to undermine and drive away the new owners, whose success challenges the traditional hierarchy. It is a confrontation familiar in many Westerns - but much more realistic and in consequence that much more gripping.

Sub-plots involving each of the inheritors make this a complex and moving story, including a murder mystery and a rural class struggle. The initial driving force is Emmy, a feminist model as she stands up to the foreman and farmers, despite being labelled a whore. But she, like the others, is not just a one-dimensional heroine. Life is difficult as we see the inheritors cope with and buckle under the pressures. The Alpine landscape is an intrinsic part of the film, as we see the seasons change along with the main characters' moods and fortunes. Stefan Ruzumowsky's photographic techniques enhance the interaction of landscape and character and make for an exciting and absorbing film, well worth searching out.