Der eingebildete Kranke

There is hardly a disease he does not have. At least, that is what he believes: Argan is a notorious hypochondriac and therefore follows everything his doctors—or rather, the quacks treating him—prescribe. However, they are less concerned with their patient's recovery than with increasing their own wealth and present the gullible family man with horrendous bills. To counteract this, the tyrannical patriarch Argan wants his daughter Angelique to marry a young doctor. She, however, is in love with Cléante, who is not a doctor. This leads to all sorts of complications...

Directed by Günther Andreas Pape, Der eingebildete Kranke leans on a strong ensemble — Heinz Schenk, Silvia Tietz, Carine Huber — 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 screen titles of 1996.