Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers Felix Krull

This film was my introduction to Horst Buchholz. Albsolutely delightful! I have been chasing a copy of it for years, and finally located a VHS of it -- it has recently been released on DVD in Germany. If you can get your hands on it, do so. The young Buchholz is an enchanting rogue in this saga of the rise of a charming confidence man, swindling and cheating his way to the top. He sent on to star in films in the US and in Europe, but was seldom as delightful as here, in this early work. His innate good looks and personality are given free reign. One of the most delightful scenes in the epileptic fit he throws for the draft board to avoid military service. Inspired!

A really entertaining comedy! I don't know the original novel by Thomas Mann but the film doubtless did justice to Mann's language. It's a pleasure to hear Horst Buchholz in the role of Felix Krull leading everybody up the garden path with hilarious wordiness! I enjoyed every minute of this movie. It's true that it's old-fashioned but that's what makes up its attraction.