Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Production Foundations
The film is introduced with its title, year, and director. Peter Timm is credited for both directing and writing the original German script.
Key Events
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Film Title Introduction — Movie title and year displayed. Characters: Meier
Location: Opening Credits
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Director Credit Reveal — Peter Timm credited as director. Characters: Meier
Location: Production Office
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Script Origin Note — Original German script written. Characters: Meier
Location: Writing Room
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Lead Actor Casting — Rainer Grenkowitz cast as lead. Characters: Meier
Location: Casting Studio
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Supporting Role Filled — Nadja Engelbrecht cast as Nadja. Characters: Nadja
Location: Casting Studio
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Ensemble Cast Listing — Full cast roster published. Characters: Meier, Nadja
Location: Promotional Material
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Cinematography Setup — Klaus Eichhammer hired as DP. Characters: Meier
Location: Studio Lot
Cast and Crew Assembly
Principal actors including Rainer Grenkowitz and Nadja Engelbrecht are cast. Technical roles like cinematography and editing are assigned.
Key Events
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Cinematography Setup — Klaus Eichhammer hired as DP. Characters: Meier
Location: Studio Lot
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Editing Phase Begins — Corina Dietz handles post-production. Characters: Meier
Location: Editing Suite
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Runtime Confirmation — Film duration set at 95 minutes. Characters: Meier
Location: Distribution Office
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Color Format Applied — Production shot in color. Characters: Meier
Location: Studio Lot
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German Language Track — Original dialogue in German. Characters: Meier
Location: Dubbing Studio
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Domestic Premiere — Film released in Germany. Characters: Meier
Location: German Cinema
Technical Specifications
Production details are finalized, including the 95-minute runtime, color format, and German language track. The film enters the 1986 release cycle.
Key Events
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Domestic Premiere — Film released in Germany. Characters: Meier
Location: German Cinema
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1986 Release Window — Enters yearly release cycle. Characters: Meier
Location: 1986 Calendar
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Genre Classification — Film marketed as comedy. Characters: Meier
Location: Marketing Dept
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Industry Comparison — Contextualized against Aliens. Characters: Meier
Location: Box Office Charts
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Audience Engagement — Film reaches German viewers. Characters: Meier
Location: Cinema Halls
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Technical Credits Roll — Crew acknowledged on screen. Characters: Meier
Location: Credits Sequence
Release and Archival Context
The movie premieres in Germany as a comedy. It is contextualized against other 1986 releases and later documented in film archives.
Key Events
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Technical Credits Roll — Crew acknowledged on screen. Characters: Meier
Location: Credits Sequence
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Archival Documentation — Film recorded in 2022 databases. Characters: Meier
Location: Film Archive
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Historical Record — Production details cataloged. Characters: Meier
Location: Reference Library
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Final Metadata Entry — Film profile completed. Characters: Meier
Location: Online Database
Meier, a paperhanger in East Berlin, inherits from his father in West Berlin. With this money he wants to fulfil himself the dream of his life: a journey around the world. He buys a forged West German passport and pretends to go on a trip to Bulgaria while he really is off to see the free world. When he wants to return to East Berlin he finds himself in an unbelievable predicament and his double life begins. He can't keep away from his East German friends. As with all the best comedies, the action builds up to an eventual crisis. It's a light comedy, which won several national Film Academy Awards. The film is very political, with lots of political jokes/innuendos which only Germans will understand. One is left feeling what a total obscenity that stupid Wall was, dividing one people for 30 years (1-2 Generations) simply by the coincidence on where you just happen to be in the early morning on the 13th August 1961.