
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.
Directed by Peter Kupke, Herr Puntila und sein Knecht Matti leans on a strong ensemble — Ekkehard Schall, Carmen-Maja Antoni, Heinz-Dieter Knaup — 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 1979.
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