Review of Pumuckl and the big misunderstanding: Nostalgic, beautiful cinema comeback

Marcus H. Rosenmüller made a name for himself with his first cinema work, “Those who die earlier are dead longer” (2006). Since then it has been hard to imagine the German film scene without him. His specialty is stories told with heart, most of which have their roots in his Bavarian homeland. In addition to the art house hit mentioned at the beginning, there are “Räuber Kneißl” (2008), “Summer in Orange” (2011) and most recently “Beckenrand Sheriff” (2021). The H. after his first name also shows his ties to his homeland. It now stands less for his middle name Heinrich and more for Hausham, the community in which Rosenmüller grew up.

He has now taken on an even more well-known Bavarian. After all, the fictional Pumuckl can look back on a longer life than Rosenmüller, who was born in 1973, and several generations of children grew up with him. The character, created by children’s book author Ellis Kaut, began her career in 1962 in a radio play episode on Bavarian Radio. 20 years later, the red-haired goblin became really popular through the TV series “Master Eder and his Pumuckl”. His “master”, the master carpenter Franz Eder, played the no less popular Gustl Bayrhammer in the film of the same name and in the series, which was first broadcast in two seasons in 1982 and 1988. After the actor’s death in 1993, his cartoon partner appeared on screen and on television from time to time in varying company.

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Since 2023, the little do-nothing has been playing practical jokes again in a new series. In “New Stories from Pumuckl” alongside Master Eder’s nephew Florian, who is played by Florian Brückner. Rosenmüller already had a hand in directing the 13 episodes of the first season. The new Pumuckl film shows that the leprechaun is in very good hands with his fellow countryman from Hausham.

Excitement in Florian Eder’s small Munich carpentry shop: opera conductor Hendrik Windmahler (Robert Palfrader) bursts in in dire distress. He can no longer conduct because the box for his baton is jammed. And if it gets stuck, his entire existence gets stuck. But the craftsman Eder also has something else on his mind. Burgi (Gisela Schneeberger), the widow of his former teacher, asks him to restore an old maypole carousel. Accompanied by Pumuckl (voice: Maximilian Schafroth), Florian complies with the request and drives to the small town where he did his training.

Pleasantly nostalgic, but not from yesterday

However, tensions between Florian and the goblin, who is only visible to him, do not remain there. When the carpenter considers taking over Burgi’s workshop and giving up his one-man business in Munich, Pumuckl wants to look for a new master. Could the conductor possibly be an option? But for that to happen, Pumuckl would have to stick to something at the right moment in order to become visible to Hendrik Windmahler and then be able to join him according to goblin law…

Rosenmüller also relies on the mix of animated and live-action films that has been tried and tested since the 1982 series. This combination alone creates a pleasantly nostalgic charm for the heartfelt film. The fact that Maximilian Schafroth’s voice was transformed using AI to resemble that of Hans Clarin, who died in 2005 and who served as Pumuckl’s spokesman for almost 40 years, certainly contributes to this. Nevertheless, not everything here seems yesterday or even the day before yesterday. The rainbow flag that flies over the opera, for example, seems very contemporary.

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The script by Korbinian Dufter and Matthias Pacht is also successful. History teaches that it is better to talk to each other too much than too little in order to avoid misunderstandings. The plot is entertaining and seasoned with wit. It has a recognizable common thread, but also leaves room for sketch-like incidents and other humorous sprinkles – even right into the end credits. A funny short story will be added quickly, which is about the effort Pumuckl put into transporting a gift egg from the Bavarian province to Munich.

The cast also fits. Florian Brückner is a worthy successor to the unforgettable Gustl Bayrhammer. His Florian Eder is highly likeable, the interaction with the tricked goblin could hardly be better. Cabaret artist Gisela Schneeberger is also warm as Burgi, who would love for Florian to take over her carpentry business. Or Matthias Bundschuh as Master Eder’s well-meaning but materially awkward neighbor Mr. Burke. What is particularly pleasing, of course, is the – albeit rather brief – reunion with Ilse Neubauer as Ms. Stürtzlinger. The Bavarian popular actress already played this role in the original TV series.

Conclusion: Hurray, hurray, the Pumuckl is back! And with a beautiful story, lots of hearty humor and lots of Bavarian retro charm. The film whets the appetite for the second season of the new Pumuckl stories, which will be shown on RTL+ from the end of this year – again directed by Marcus H. Rosenmöller.