User Reviews

"Quax, der Bruchpilot" is a German black-and-white movie from 75 years ago. If you do the maths, you will realize that it is a film that was made during the days of World War II. But looking at it, it becomes obvious that this was not a generic Nazi propaganda movie. not at all. Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels was in charge back then of everything that has to do with art, especially with films. So it should not be too surprising that those who made the film could not do exactly what they want if they wanted their work not only appreciated, but even released. It is based on Hermann Grote's novel and Robert A. Stemmle adapted it. Just like the director Kurt Hoffmann, he became pretty successful and contributed a lot to the German film industry in the years after the war.

If you know Heinz Rühmann, you will know that his humour frequently relies on lower classes mocking upper classes and this anti-authority message is not an approach that the Nazi would love of course. So Rühmann was definitely limited by politics when it came to showing us his real comedic talent here. Still, there are moments occasionally, such as when he wears a mustache and acts as if he was a famous fighter pilot. These aviation references and probably also the ending with the main character being proud of his country and saying he wants to serve it as a pilot are what the Nazis may have liked the most about the movie. But I did not. And same goes for most of the other aspects here, especially the drama. Rühmann managed to save it occasionally in terms of comedy, but the dramatic moments and romance parts were really fairly generic and disappointing. As a whole, I am glad the film is relatively short, stays under 90 minutes as I did not really enjoy it. Thumbs down and I am glad Rühmann (and the makers here) could show us after the War what they are really capable of.

In this film the pilot school is portrayed like a military base in which all the students have to live in there to learn to fly planes. The students are treated like soldiers. Now there were 5 kinds of propaganda films Hate,military ,war, anti communism,national socialism. The latter was mainly light entertainment without the Hi Hitler or noticing any uniform.Hollywood style films, Now Heinz Ruhmann ,like any other actor in Germany, took advantage of the situation to insure he be a big star,.So most actors lost their self respect for the sake of their vanity. some would pay by ending up in a concentration camp ,some would kill themselves. Ruhmann payed for it by being force to watch his wife being raped by Russian soldiers, Bur that was history. spilled milk.Ruhmann, who plays Otto, works in what looks like a travel bureau. He won this contest, He was hoping to win the trip but instead he one a prepaid course in being a pilot. So he shows up with fear and apprehension. Lothar Firmans as Hansen, acting like a Nazi commander,is taking a look at all the men and fussing at them as if this was a military camp, He is then taking on the plane ride by Hansen getting dizzy and scared. Later on ,as he is engaging in joy through duty,picking up the dishes after dinner,having kitchen duty or let's say K.P. Then he is asked to come to the table where he is introduced to the rest of the pilot trainers.All of a sudden all the trainees take some of their music instruments and start to play and sing the title of the movie. Well he had it. So the next day he get's back to his job in a travel agent, I think,and his female assistant is up their waiting cause she going on some vacation with her boy friend,Herr Busse,played by Lutz Gotz the actors who darkened his red hair for better acting jobs.But all of a sudden the citizens start going up to him and talking about what he did and he's forced to make up stories. Before you know it the Mayor, played by wants to talk to him about his pilot experience.Then you have all these people sitting at a bar in along table drinking while he bulls to every one his experience that he has not had yet. So he decides to go back and continues his coarse. When he surprises everyone in the class, the teacher,Hansen, gets mad a runs out of the class. The students all jump on him and he slips out. Notice all the Nazi propaganda advertisement in the class room walls.Hansen talks to the doctor about him. He goes into the doctors room and gets a physical. He passes it.Then you see him later learning how to fix the engines, There's a fair going on in town and the students and Hienz is out their for fun.Wearing a fake nose mustache with glasses he sees a girl, Marianne, played by Karen Himboldt, with parents at the fair. He starts to follow her. She sees him and ignores him. He finally introduces him to her as one of the students.They both proceed to the big swings. He shows off by getting on one of them and twirling around. Her parents find out and invite him and the rest of the boys to their country home. There's this big balloon way in the back of their house. Otto and Marianne get on the balloon to fly it with Beppo Bren dangerously siting at the bottom on this thin little seat held by a rod attach from the bottom of the balloon compartment floor.All of a sudden as they go to a lake it gets lower so they are forced to throw things out. Then they get back and are cheered for it. Later on at night he tells her that he loves her.They are in the den and two of the students are playing a zither and another instrument and singing a song. Marianne and Otto are sitting near on a piano seat expressing their love for each other. Hienz then plays a piano too. Hansen shows up and wants to talk with him again in the other room. He fusses at him for the balloon situation. The next day a reporter and photographer shows up and tries to interviews him as he is looking at the post card that his fellow worker sent him from her vacation. But he sees Hansen showing up and starts to move away from reporters. Later he starts to under stand plane driving and does a better job at flying the plane.So he brags by actually flying his plane to his town to show the folks. Later on Hansen jumps on him for that. But feels he's good at it lets him be a professional flight instructor. Before you know it he looking at all the new students and the next thing they are all ready to fly the planes. Available at war film dot com and Reichs Kino dot com. Digital print on DVD