Filmed by the famous East German DEFA studio, this 1963 film looks back at the immediate post war life in the Soviet zone of defeated Germany in 1945. As such, political notes are not to be missed. The one American character is a stupid Army officer with incredibly ugly teeth patrolling the Elbe River in a nice little motorboat. On the other hand, a Soviet officer is a handsome, intelligent, decent man. There are ruins, but people aren't in absolute misery; they're rebuilding the future. This film does not have the despair and nihilism of the real Truemmer Filme produced in the early post war years. Geshonneck delivers an excellent character, an Anthony Quinn with a subtler touch. Despite the political touches, this is a sweet comedy, the type that keeps you smiling, not guffawing. A good film for people interested in post War Europe, even if it looks back with a telescope of almost twenty years.