Mutter und Söhne (1992)

Christine Kröger, a widowed owner of a textile company, celebrates her 70th birthday. Since she plans to place the company’s management in younger hands, she has invited her three sons, each of whom runs a branch in a different German city, and their families to Hamburg for the weekend to make a decision. Naturally, the brothers try to show themselves at their best, but none of them has a completely clean slate. Hans-Dieter is having an affair with Susanne, the chief buyer, but manages to pin the relationship on his older brother, Hans-Christian. Hans-Christian’s wife, Karin, is a kleptomaniac, which explains the disappearance of many items from the house. Christine herself is troubled by the numerous affairs of her youngest son, Hans-Peter, who is still unmarried. In a conversation with her chief buyer, Christine learns that it is Hans-Dieter, not Hans-Christian, who is Susanne’s lover. When Karin gleefully rubs this in the face of her constantly needling sister-in-law, Monika, the already strained atmosphere reaches its breaking point. A lesson wiser, Christine decides to continue running the business for the time being and try again on her next birthday.