Cat and Mouse

Story

Synopsis

In 1966, a former gymnast returns to his hometown Danzig, which is now a part of Poland. He begins to reflect on one of his classmates, Joachim Mahlke, who disappeared during World War II. Mahlke was initially marked as an outsider due to his oversized Adam’s apple, but when he turned out to be a great diver, the in-crowd embraced him. Then he steals a Knight’s Cross from a soldier and is expelled from school. Volunteering for war service, he earns a medal himself and hopes his reputation will be rehabilitated. But the school principal refuses and Mahlke deserts from the army…

Director

Hansjürgen Pohland

Writers

Günter Grass, Hansjürgen Pohland, Helmut Kircher

Language

German

Country

Germany, Poland

Release date

7 February 1967

Ensemble

Cast

• Peter Brandt

  Joachim Mahlke (older)

• 

  Wolfgang Neuss

  Pilenz

• Herbert Weißbach

  Klohse

• Claudia Bremer

  Tulla

• 

  Michael Hinz

  Jagdflieger

• Helmut Kircher

  Captain Lieutenant

• 

  Ingrid van Bergen

  Mahlkes Tante

• Lars Brandt

  Joachim Mahlke (younger)

• Hans-Peter Brandes

  Esch

• Wolf-Ruediger Knoche

  Kupka

• Klaus Langeheinecke

  Buschmann

• Mathias Wagner

  Winter