Die Försterbuben (1955)

After years at the seminary, Martin, the son of head forester Thomas Rufmann, returns to St. Eustachen in Carinthia, where a festival is taking place. He has not yet completed his training for the priesthood, as he is going through a crisis of faith that he hopes to overcome in the mountains. His father, Thomas, and his brother Friedolin warmly welcome him. Friedolin is the black sheep of the family: he is constantly short of money and flirts with women in the distant city, much to the dismay of his longtime fiancée, Helene. The festival ends with a brawl started by Friedolin. Bianca, the charcoal burner Krauthas’s daughter, has also come to St. Eustachen with Martin. Rumor has it that she was fired in the city for stealing from her employer. In fact, she was dismissed because of her relationship with Günther, her boss’s son. In St. Eustachen, she tries to turn the men’s heads. She fails with Martin, but succeeds in flirting with Friedolin. Friedolin spends his father’s birthday away from home, going with his friends to the charcoal burner’s hut, where schnapps is being served in secret. Bianca joins the group, and Friedolin flirts intensely with her. When he leaves, he forgets his knife in the charcoal burner’s hut. On the way home, one of Friedolin’s friends is killed in an accident on Friedolin’s motorcycle, prompting Friedolin to reflect on his life for the first time. The vehicle had not yet been paid off, so Friedolin has to borrow a large sum from an acquaintance to cover the remaining installments. He hides the money in his room. Rumors spread about a possible relationship between Friedolin and Bianca, as well as Friedolin’s general misconduct, eventually leading to Friedolin and Helene breaking off their engagement. The mayor visits Krauthas and demands that he send his daughter back to the city, or at least persuade her to leave the village. But Bianca decides of her own accord to secretly go to Italy with Günther. They arrange to meet at a secret rendezvous. Friedolin happens to run into Günther and gets into an argument with him. After Günther drives away, Friedolin finds his watch on the riverbank and takes it. Bianca, meanwhile, does not find Günther at their agreed meeting place and returns to her father. He now learns that she had planned to elope with Günther in secret. Shortly before Friedolin and Helene, now reconciled, are to marry, the criminal police come to see Friedolin and question him about Günther, who became the victim of a violent crime shortly after their encounter. Friedolin’s knife was found near the crime scene; he also has the victim’s watch, and the money intended to pay off the motorcycle is found in his possession as well, making him a suspect. To protect his brother, Martin claims that he killed Günther. Both brothers are arrested. Their father, Thomas, then tries to commit suicide, but his friend Michel stops him. Armed with a shotgun, Thomas hurries into the mountains. After a long trek, Thomas comes upon Krauthas’s hut, where Krauthas is burying some things. A shootout ensues. The charcoal burner collapses not far from the hut and, shortly before dying, tells the villagers who have rushed to the scene that he murdered Günther because he was afraid his daughter Bianca would leave him. The news leads to Martin and Friedolin’s release. Friedolin vows to change his life. He learns from the maid Sali that his father has apparently committed suicide. Then comes the welcome news from Bianca: Krauthas only shot Thomas in the leg, and he is alive. Now Friedolin and Helene’s wedding can go ahead. Martin, too, has found his faith again and will return to the seminary.