Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind

Premiere at the Burgtheater on April 8, 1965. A production by NEUE THALIA FILM, Vienna, 1965

Raimund’s "Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind" is both a magical fairy tale and an entertaining psychological portrait: Rappelkopf, who was deceived by a swindler in the past, becomes the epitome of the paranoid misanthrope. He torments his daughter, wife, and servants with his accusations, fears betrayal and life-threatening intrigue all around him, and flees to a lonely charcoal burner’s hut. His family, though plagued by Rappelkopf’s mistrust, fears for his life. The King of the Alps promises help and offers Rappelkopf a tailor-made therapy: he is to visit his family in the guise of his brother-in-law to convince himself of their loyal love. The King of the Alps himself will appear as Rappelkopf, a living mirror for self-awareness. The magical “ego trip” is a success: the family is reunited once more. As a bonus, there’s a picture-perfect son-in-law, and Rappelkopf’s actual brother-in-law saves the family fortune. In Rudolf Steinboeck’s fairy-tale-like, colorful, and comedic production, Attila and Paul Hörbiger shine as Rappelkopf and the King of the Alps; Alma Seidler, as Rappelkopf’s wife, remains entertainingly pragmatic even through her tears; and it’s always a pleasure to hear that Hugo Gottschlich spent “two years in Paris.”