Zum Teufel mit der Penne

Peter Alexander and school – a relationship both sides would have preferred to end sooner rather than later. It therefore seems almost like a twist of fate that, right at the end of his film career, he ended up in the then-popular Lümmel series (part 2 of 5), which drew audiences to the cinemas in droves in the late 1960s. Undercover journalist Dr Roland sneaks into a stuffy grammar school as a teacher, where he soon develops sympathy for Pepe Notnagel, a pupil notorious for his pranks, and his friends. A role that fits him like a glove: the ever-popular figure is on the right side without ever having to be a rebel himself. Against a backdrop of criticism of authority and student revolt, these antics provide a harmless outlet for public sentiment.
(Florian Widegger)