Der Besuch der alten Dame

The "Besuch der alten Dame" (The Visit) is a classical theater piece of the great Swiss play writer Friedrich Dürrenmatt. This satirical comedy was played in nearly every theater in the German speaking countries. So the plot is well known: An old lady who has become a billionaire comes back in her home town to take revenge on the short sighted people who forced her years ago to leave the city. Her victim is her former lover who left her alone in her misery and committed perjury just to get rid of her.

After 40 years her home town is rotten and financially on the ground. She promises to donate two billion under one condition: Her former lover must be dead. Although in the first time everybody rejects this immoral offer, by the time the attitude of the citizens changes completely...

The movie, an Austrian/German cooperation, has succeeded in converting the theater piece in a film full of suspense. Brilliant is the Austrian actor Christiane Hörbiger who - at the age of 70 - fulfills completely the character of the old lady. Her equal partner is Michael Mendl who plays the role of her former lover. The film has no outstanding effects but shows very well the narrow minded atmosphere of the town and its population, avoiding the static of a stage. All in all a movie which is worth while to be seen. The subject and description of characters is timeless.

I love the play, because it shows everything about human beings, love, hate, revenge and how thin the edge is, to loose dignity for money. There will never be a better actress than Therese Giehse who played the part of Claire the first time on stage. Many famous people have tried it after her : Maria Schell, Ingrid Bergman, Heidemaria Hatheyer, Maria Becker and now Christiane Hörbiger. But.......I am sorry to say, that none of them had the quality of Giehse. This film has nothing to do with Dürrenmatt. For me it was like a soup without salt. Poor, poor Dürrenmatt, what would you have said after seeing that piece of nothing?