Onkel Filser - Allerneueste Lausbubengeschichten (1966)

Bavaria in the 1880s. The rascal Ludwig has to change schools again. This time, his uncle and godfather, Josef Filser, a member of the state parliament, is supposed to look after him, and he travels with his nephew to Munich. There, they both stay with the Damböck family. Before long, a rumor goes around that Filser has an illegitimate child. Ludwig stands up for his uncle’s honor in his own very special way. Back home, district administrator Traugott Stiebner is meanwhile trying to drive the widow Thoma out of her house in favor of his brother-in-law. Although Ludwig promised his mother he would focus on school, he is furious when he receives a letter from her saying that she has been ordered to leave her home at short notice—especially since he can see tear stains on the letter. Ludwig can’t just sit by and do nothing. He talks it over with his uncle, who is, after all, a member of the state parliament, but doesn’t really know what to do either. Ludwig says he sees how it is: he’ll have to handle it himself. He finds a way to go home for the weekend. Before leaving, however, he buys several reptiles and numerous frogs from a pet shop. Ludwig arrives home just as the district administrator is showing the house to his brother-in-law. And of course Ludwig wouldn’t be Ludwig if he hadn’t thought up all sorts of things to stop the men from taking his mother’s house away. In the district administrator’s office, Ludwig lets loose snakes and other reptiles, as well as frogs, and Stiebner reacts exactly as Ludwig had hoped. Another opportunity for a prank presents itself when Ludwig learns that the district administrator has had a monument erected to his brother-in-law, depicting a bare-breasted woman. Ludwig finds out that the town’s female residents in particular are outraged and have turned to Kaplan Falkenberg, known as Kindlein. Together with him, Ludwig removes the breasts one night, leaving just two holes where they had been. Since the Prince Regent and the Crown Prince of Prussia are present at the ceremonial unveiling, the district administrator is made a laughingstock and dismissed. Stiebner has managed to obtain an eviction order, but when he comes to enforce it, Filser—who has not been idle—points out that he no longer has any authority and immediately introduces him to his successor. Stiebner and his brother-in-law have no choice but to retreat. Meanwhile, Ludwig’s sister Ännchen gives birth to her child at the Thoma house. The film ends with the baptism of the children of Ännchen and Ludwig’s cousin Cora by Pastor Falkenberg, known as Kindlein. Both boys are also given the name Ludwig, prompting Ännchen’s father-in-law Gustav to remark that a whole dynasty has now been born.