Die Galoschen des Glücks (2018)

Johann is a simple kitchen boy who dreams of joining the fine society—in other words, “those up there.” In the kitchen, Frau Sorge and Frau Glück wield the scepter, or rather the cooking spoon. No one knows that they are actually fairies. At the castle, the great-niece of Grand Duchess Ottilie is expected; her birthday is to be celebrated there. Her lady’s maid, Lisbeth, arrives a day early. She dreams of becoming an actress. When Princess Aurora arrives, Johann falls head over heels in love with the beautiful young woman. Frau Sorge and Frau Glück have long been in possession of the “Galoshes of Happiness,” which can grant heartfelt wishes. By chance, Johann steps into the dusty galoshes and wishes that he, too, could be a prince. The incredible happens: he finds himself on a horse, dressed like a prince, and introduces himself to the princess, her brother Amadeus, and his friend Prince Laszlo as Prince Ludwig. At first, everything goes quite well, even though Johann has no idea about the customs of aristocratic society and repeatedly causes people to shake their heads at his manners. Lisbeth acquaints him with some courtly customs and teaches him how to dance. With his birthday present—a box from which blue butterflies flutter—Johann scores points with the princess in his role as Prince Ludwig. She tells him she has never received anything so enchanting. Prince Amadeus and Prince Laszlo, who is also courting the princess, suspect that something is wrong with this peculiar prince. Johann has not noticed that Lisbeth secretly fell in love with him at first sight. The fairies Sorge and Glück, however, have seen Lisbeth’s feelings. They deeply regret that Johann is so blind and cannot see the happiness waiting so close to him. A picnic Prince Ludwig has prepared for Aurora goes badly wrong when the princess shows her true colors and reveals how moody and capricious she is. Ludwig gradually realizes that neither life in high society nor Aurora matches his ideas about life and love. He also notices that Lisbeth is coming to mind more and more often. By chance, Lisbeth overhears a conversation between the fairies and learns that Prince Ludwig and Johann are one and the same person. Meanwhile, Princes Amadeus and Laszlo have made inquiries and discovered that none of what the prince they distrust has claimed is true, and that he is an impostor. Just before they can seize him, Johann comes back into possession of the Galoshes of Happiness at the very last moment, as it were, and vanishes before the eyes of the aristocrats, never to be seen again. By now, Lisbeth has joined the actors who performed at the princess’s birthday celebration. Johann follows her and confesses to Lisbeth that he has been foolish and blind, and that he must have let himself be dazzled by the wrong kind of happiness. He asks her to forgive him. They seal their love with a kiss.