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The German army: Soldier Diestelböck is in love with Emma, the same
woman as his Feldwebel (= sergeant) Krause, & when one night Krause
becomes too eagwer in courting Emma, Diestelböck even raises a false
alarm ... for which he almost gets detention, until the Major comes for an
unannounced inspection & is quite impressed to find the whole regiment
ready ... which instead of detention earns Diestelböck a (small)
promotion, becoming the aide of lieutnant Girnsbach ... & Girnsbach is
in a bit of a mess, as he is engaged to the major's daughter Gerttrud, but
at the same time has an affair with cabaret singer Vera, a mess
Diestelböck can clear up for him only witht he greatest of efforts ...
only to be demoted again to simple soldier, & Feldwebel Krause is
quite eager to get him only the worst jobs in the regiment ...
until, for the regiment's 100th anniversary, the visit of Prince Willibald
(Adolf Wohlbrück) is announced ... & in its honour the regiment has
to put on a little play ... & since Diestelböck is the only one with
any natural theatrical talent, he is pronounced director of the play,
while Feldwebel Krause is demoted to be one of his actors. Then though,
in his lieutnatn's uniform he wears for the play, Diestelböck bumps into
the prince, & the prince, quite annoyed witht he wholle celebration
actually, quickly promotes him to being his aide ... a job bnormally
reserved only for lieutnants ... & indeed, actually lieutnant
Girnsbach was supposed to get the job ... which is doubly delicate since
the prince has fallen for his former mistress Vera - the cabaret singer -
& even given her the room next to his in the local hotel. Ultimately
only Diestelböck's native cunning can save the situation - & the play
he's in - though, & in the end the prince even wants to promote him to
general ... but Diestelböck, eager to give up his army life, refuses
& merely asks for Emma's father to become the prince's court butcher -
which of course is granted. At times this film is really funny
in its depiction of absurd army procedure & protocol - which is why it
was forbidden in 1935 in Nazi Germany for ridiculing the army (Verächtlichmachung des
Militärs) -, but ultimately more
than clever satire the film is a rather run-of-the-mill romantic comedy
that isn't free of quite some cheesy moments.
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