4:3, obviously designed for the good old tube. That's not the only reason why I quickly feel like I'm in the grip of stodgy TV nostalgia. Pseudo-documentary, file number XY from the 60s. And then there's Berliner Schnauze, the German dregs. Why this was still filmed in black and white remains a mystery. Only three years later came 'Millionenspiel' and the colour alone separates the two films by what feels like light years. At least that was my start to the film, but I warmed to it over the course of the film despite its lengthy running time. The reason is the charismatic characters. Not action heroes, but edgy small-time crooks in all their facets. The unaffected, the good actors with everyday faces, the simple staging, the straightforward technical means - all this makes this mischievous crime thriller seem authentic throughout. A kind of anti-'Ocean'. This forgotten gem is actually a TV two-parter from ZDF, a so-called street sweeper at the time and later a TV classic. Understandably, I had a good time. The content is divided in the traditional way, first the spectacular coup, then an exciting game of cat and mouse with the police. The most interesting thing from today's point of view was the interaction between the divided states or, in this case, the city; the wall had been there for two years. We still see movements between the borders and an officially unofficial co-operation between the authorities.

German cinema is famous for its historical depth, expressionist aesthetics, and social-political engagement. It has moved from Expressionism to political reckoning, from New German Cinema's raw realism to contemporary genre experiments. Its legacy lies in both technical innovation and deep explorations of history, morality, and philosophy.

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