The Original Sin

A fascinating fantasy / fairy tale with music. The apple in question is a version of the one offered to Adam, but the story is modernized and really quite funny, proving that Helmut Käutner, who began his career as a member of a topical cabaret group, was not only the great master of cinematic poetry but also of sharp and witty allegory. The film has aged quite well, mainly because there's nothing to compare it to - that kind of film-making is long forgotten. The viewer doesn't even have to know too much about the situation in Germany back in 1948 - as always, Käutner distances himself from the present "reality" and shows us an alternative view of existence, which transcends time. The film cries out for colour, but that of course was quite impossible three years after the collapse of Germany and its blooming film industry.