Otto - Der Außerfriesische (1989)

The multibillion-dollar industrial conglomerate Hi Speed Unlimited wants to build a test track in East Frisia for its high-speed trains, which can travel at 1,000 km/h. The only obstacle in its way is the old lighthouse, painted bright red and yellow, right on the dike overlooking the Wadden Sea. It is home to Otto Groß, a friendly, enterprising tour guide who sells miniature lighthouses made from toilet-paper rolls to tourists and runs all sorts of errands for the people around him. His vehicle is an Autobianchi Bianchina convertible. Secretly, his heart belongs to Frauke, a kindergarten teacher and the niece of the local landed aristocrat, Baron von Platt. But she wants nothing to do with him, since she was once involved with Otto’s older brother Benno, and everything in the lighthouse reminds her of him. Otto, who has spent years living in his brother’s shadow, removes every trace of Benno’s existence for Frauke’s sake. At this point, two front men for Hi Speed Unlimited arrive, intent on buying the strategically important lighthouse from Otto. Frauke arrives just in time to stop this and explain to everyone present: Otto is not the owner of the lighthouse—Benno Groß is, and only he can sell it. After Otto infiltrates Hi Speed and discovers its sinister plans, he confronts the people of his hometown. He learns that if Benno, who has since emigrated to the United States, does not return by a certain deadline and plant a tree as proof of his ownership, he will lose his rights, and Hi Speed Unlimited will be able to ruin the area with its rail line. Otto immediately sets off for the United States to find Benno and save his hometown (as well as impress Frauke). But at the same time, Hi Speed’s CEO, van Devil, has also discovered that Benno owns the lighthouse and sends the Latin American contract killer El Cucaracho after him to eliminate him. After arriving in Miami, Otto faces not only difficulties understanding the locals’ language but also problems with American customs. He drives a taxi driver to distraction, gets robbed, and ends up in a film shoot. After a series of mishaps, he finally finds Benno, who works as a private detective under the name Big Ben. The vain Benno eventually agrees to return to East Frisia after Otto persuades him—and uses the Frisians’ oath as leverage. Otto takes on the role of his twin brother to handle Benno’s current assignment, which supposedly involves adultery. But the client is actually El Cucaracho, who has been hired by van Devil to kill Otto, thinking he is Benno. Otto manages to defuse the bomb set as a death trap with a remote-controlled car and to push the explosive onto El Cucaracho, who is killed by it. Otto then returns home, where everything is unchanged: the houses and his lighthouse are still standing, while van Devil, his henchmen, and Baron von Platt have been arrested and made to do community service. But no one remembers Otto’s heroic deed, because Benno took credit for saving the day when he returned. He received a statue and moved back into the lighthouse. Otto worries that Frauke may have returned to him too, but that turns out to be unfounded: instead, Benno’s great love is now Frieda, a waitress. In the end, the somewhat frustrated and bewildered Otto does get what he wanted after all: Frauke.