Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti (1979)

Plot Summary

The play tells the story of the chronic drunkard and landowner Puntila. When he is drunk, he is virtually free of himself; he develops immense strength in these phases and can really be a human being. Then he wants to fraternize with his chauffeur Matti, wants to give him a forest and a sawmill, and even wants to give him his daughter as his wife. Puntila could accomplish many, many more good deeds in his frenzy, but when he returns to a sober state, Puntila reveals himself to be the "black sheep" of his capitalist class and an insignificant person. His classmate reads him the riot act and shows him the limits of this species, which Puntila can never break. GDR television showed the play in a production by the Berliner Ensemble.

Full Cast & Characters

Ekkehard Schall

Puntila

Carmen-Maja Antoni

Eva

Heinz-Dieter Knaup

Richter

Franziska Troegner

Kuhmädchen

Barbara Dittus

Telefonistin

Werner Riemann

Peter Hladik

Director & Crew

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