ynopsis from Tim+e Out Film ` Guide Be ]tween(# t^/he?] s?!`eemi:;]ngly ,(idyl?l /i$c \opening and closing scenes depicting a
? rural communi%ty, f irst a#]t _c)hurch, then at the vi]+llage fe+stival, _Fleischma%*nn attack?
s that communit+y's /=(prejudices a($nd +ignorance without r\,e: morse. H!i+]
$s very precisely ob@?@se (r#ved p ortr! a-;it of# Bavarian life begins with lit_t;le ]@more than a di?splay of the villagers' co nstan/t ribbing, ?$b,#/.awdy h(u,mour, con`,tinuo)us+\ gossip,  ` and mo$*re than a hin=t of `% thei[#r slow-witt
e:dness. Wit
h* t-]*he return `
, `of a_ ` ;
\@yo,\ung ma)?,`n, the_``ir id%-`+le m)alice and, c\)]-hi/ldish clowning, alway]_/?s on the edg e of u#np#!#le asa:nt,! ness, re`ceive some fo?_ cus quite wi`%/tho)ut foundat.io)n, the/ %[ lad is victimised as a. :?homo@[se?xua
l. )Th*_e cr
ippling con*fo =rmity of the\?ir ingrained co,%-nservatism leads t[.h;?e v: illagers[ to %\ rej##!e$%c-t any ,t;hing 'diff#-erent' a youn/$^!g wido=w is ostracised, more for h
er c_r?;#ippled lover;- a *nd idi/ot s/\on than:% her mor`a/ls:/[; a teach)er i s frozen out because she`
's ed%u^ca^]=ted; the ca!]sual destruc!tion of )the youn^!g 'h*#omo+,%/sexual' is _?+gi@ve n no more thought than the cut=#ting up of a pig. N)ot G_ermany $[* ]in t!he '30s but the '70s; neve [rt%
,$heless th!*=e political @#% par al @^l=els []-are-`= clear.+# An im=)p`-re_ `ssive film.