Katzelmacher

Summary

In a Munich suburb: Marie belongs to Erich, Paul sleeps with Helga, Peter lives on Elisabeth′s money and Rosy sells her body to Franz. The appearance of Jorgos, a Greek immigrant worker, brings commotion into the dull, placid life of the various couples.

It is not necessary to have any particular reason: the Greek′s mere presence is sufficient to turn the latent xenophobia into aggression. Jorgos draws out all their prejudice, releasing it at the same time. This is particularly true of the men. Erich, Paul, Peter and Franz jointly attack Jorgos and brutally beat him in the hope that their victim will disappear from sight. The women′s behaviour is more contradictory. Elisabeth sees the stranger as a lodger who can be squeezed without difficulty and whom she is not willing to lose. Marie has left Erich and struck up a friendship with the harmless Jorgos who dreams of taking her back to his country. In the end, Paul and Helga decide to get married and Erich joins the army. Although the film does not say what becomes of the new couple Jorgos and Marie, the Greek′s chances of becoming integrated in this society look slim in view of what happened before.

Source: German films Service & Marketing GmbH