Die Räuber

Through an intrigue, Franz Moor manages to have Karl, his brother, disinherited and disowned. He then founds a band of robbers and becomes their captain. Franz wants to win over Karl's fiancée Amalia and fakes Karl's death, and later the death of his father, whom he has locked up in a tower. Karl has to answer for ever greater crimes committed by his gang and increasingly doubts his decision. Plagued by longing, he leads the gang to his father's castle, where he speaks to Amalia once again in disguise. He frees his father from the dungeon, but he dies of fright when he learns that his son has become a criminal. Franz commits suicide when the robbers storm the castle. As Karl has conspired to the death of his gang, a happy future with Amalia is out of the question; under these circumstances, Amalia wishes him dead. Karl kills her, renounces his gang and his life of crime and hands himself over to the law.

Directed by Heinrich Koch, Die Räuber leans on a strong ensemble — Paul Hartmann, Klausjürgen Wussow, Hannes Messemer — 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 drama titles of 1966.