1831. A village schoolteacher Matthias Spitzbart dreams of the ideal school and writes a textbook on the perfect educational institution. When he becomes principal of a grammar school by chance, he puts his ideas into practice. His almost missionary-like zeal blossoms in wondrous ways, but his family idyll is deceptive. Entangled in his activities, Spitzbart fails to see his wife's affair with pro-rector Mehlmann, daughter Friederike flirts with the trainee teacher, and son Michael's misdeeds are enough to make a mockery of his efforts at exemplary behavior. Teachers, parents and the mayor are of the opinion that he has upset everything that worked before: he is dismissed...

Genres

Cast

Otto Mellies

Schulmeister Spitzbart

Antje Straßburger

Peter Borgelt

Lehrer Peuker

Michael Gerber

Günter Junghans

Lehrer Mehlmann

Dietrich Körner

Peter Dommisch

Klaus Piontek

Torsten Ranft

Angela Brunner

Hubert Hoelzke

Jaecki Schwarz