Das Schneeparadies (2001)

Max Hardenberg, the head of personnel at a department store in Berlin, is expected to spend the Christmas holidays with his parents in the Allgäu, as he does every year. When his girlfriend calls to cancel, he doesn’t dare arrive without a companion. On the spur of the moment, he “persuades” his employee Pauline Bertram, whom he caught committing a petty theft, to come with him. To make the decision easier for the trusting Pauline, he claims that his father has a serious heart condition and that this could be the last Christmas he lives to see. Pauline is deeply impressed when she arrives in the Allgäu and sees the grand estate. Ferdinand Hardenberg is similarly impressed when he meets his son’s pretty new girlfriend. The family also includes Max’s mother, Marianne; his aunt, Margot; his sister Johanna and her husband, Georg; and his younger sister, Julia. Before long, Pauline makes a great impression on the family with her lively, natural manner, and everyone is convinced that she and Max will marry. Only Max’s brother-in-law sees his wife’s “pre-eminent position” as being under threat; he hopes she will give the family its next heir. Pauline is not entirely happy with how things are developing and would much rather leave. She is also somewhat uncomfortable that Ferdinand admires her so much that he accompanies her almost everywhere, even going shopping with her and buying her expensive clothes. After he accompanies her and Max on a skiing trip as well, the exertion proves too much for the nearly sixty-year-old, and he suffers a mild heart attack. The whole family is extremely worried, and Max reproaches himself, thinking that what he told Pauline may somehow have brought on his father’s illness. He promises Pauline that he will tell the family the truth about their relationship, but he cannot bring himself to do it. When Max’s parents want to give Pauline the family necklace as an engagement gift, however, she takes the initiative, tells the family the truth, and moves in with Stefan. He is a school friend of Max’s and had become friends with Pauline after she arrived. Meanwhile, Max realizes that he has fallen in love with Pauline, but at first he doesn’t dare go and bring her back. Pauline, too, realizes that she really loves Max, but she knows how indecisive he is. So she is delighted when he actually comes looking for her and takes her back. Together, they celebrate a wonderful Christmas with the whole family.