Herrn Josefs letzte Liebe (1959)

Seventy-year-old servant Josef, who has served the wealthy banking family Türkheim in their home all his life, leads a modest life shaped by daily routine. His daily walk to his favorite inn and the affectionate teasing he shares with the head waiter are the only breaks in his life. One day, a dog being tormented by a gang of hooligans runs up to Josef during his walk and stays by his side from then on. Josef hides the dog in his quarters in the Türkheims’ house until it is discovered by Gusti, the householder’s sister. Bitterly blaming servant Josef for her having remained an old maid, she insists that the dog be removed from the house. The master of the house, who is afraid of dogs, agrees with his sister after initially hesitating. With a heavy heart, Mr. Josef gives his dog to an elderly woman and promises to visit it at least every Sunday. But when the dog runs away from there and returns to him that very evening, Josef once again approaches his master—the man he has served for exactly five decades—to ask if he may keep the dog after all. When his request is refused and he is instead advised to take the animal to a shelter for stray dogs, he leaves the room disappointed: “You have withdrawn your loyalty from me; the dog would never do that.” The old servant no longer sees any point in living and asks the caretaker’s daughter to take his dog to the animal shelter. As soon as she has set off, Mr. Josef turns on the gas taps in his quarters and begins writing a letter to banker Türkheim, intending to ask his forgiveness for his suicide. Soon, overcome by the gas, he loses consciousness and hears a divine voice telling him that his time has not yet come and that he will have a good life. At the same time, as the dog is being handed over at the bleak-looking shelter, it escapes and runs barking straight to the servant’s apartment door. The caretaker and others then break down the door, turn off the gas, and manage to save the servant. In the finale, the banker is shaken to learn of the incident from the caretaker’s daughter—whom he loves and wants to marry. He allows Josef to keep the dog in the house and not only announces his marriage to his sister, but also suggests that she leave the house and move to Salzburg. The final scene shows a happy servant with his contented dog in the park.