Einmal der liebe Herrgott sein

Karl Geschwandtner, a porter in a large hotel, has only one wish: one day, he'd like to be the lord and master, as the saying goes: to be the porter and 'ruler' in the hotel. And luck helps him to temporarily fulfill his dream. But Karl doesn't just take over running the hotel, he feels the need to stick his nose in the life of his hotel guests, too. There are couples, who don't want to be put together or apart. When a valuable jewel goes missing, he plays detective and only succeeds in helping the thief to rob the hotel guests at his leisure. Pretty soon, chaos reigns at the hotel; there's massive confusion. Even the newspaper seller, Wally, whom Karl secretly loves, is slowly starting to mistrust him. When the director of "Hotel Europa" finally returns, he throws Karl out, who thereupon simply rents a room as a guest.

Directed by Hans H. Zerlett, Einmal der liebe Herrgott sein leans on a strong ensemble — Hans Moser, Irene von Meyendorff, Lotte Lang — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1942.