mdm-11 When an old "Bauer" is found dead, his highly unusual "last Will and Testament" puts in motion an avalanche of events, and many dirty old secrets are unearthed, causing an uproar in the small community of landowners and peasants.This film offers many parallels to societies of various times. The basic element of two sets of justice, one for the (untouchable) upper class, and another for the little people, who have to accept whatever is dished out from above, can be likened to similar injustices happening to this very day.The brutality of the wrongs committed to the innocent is often shown in graphic realism. Viewers should be mindful of this, to not be offended by any shocking scenes. Non-gratuitous, thus essential to plot development, the violence furthers the story line.This film can be categorized as a tragedy, although a small glimmer of justice and hope for a better tomorrow is offered in the end. The occasional expressions of human decency and compassion are noteworthy. Only when others realize an injustice and show this by their acts of kindness towards the victims, can we be assured that a better future is before us. Internationally acclaimed, this film is well worth a watch!

Ace-33 It's unfortunate that a movie with gifted actors, an interesting premise, and beautiful cinematography has to be marred with simplistic us vs. them conflict and unrealistic drama. I just don't get it. The Inheritors starts off meaningfully well with a mysterious murder that results in 10 peasants inheriting a farm who previously never owned anything. Halfway through the story, however, the plot becomes predictable and often at times boring. There are also scenes that show complete disregard for justice by the church and state when the peasants are harassed in the most horrific way. Scenes like those are never as simple or as black and white as shown here. I can't believe an entire town would tolerate that type of curelty by its own citizens. Don't waste your time on this film. There are far better foreign films that depict the trial and tribulations of peasant life in the mountains of Austria. For example, see the "Last Valley" starring Michael Cain and Omar Sharif. Though the setting takes place in Switzerland, it's actually filmed in Austria. Now that's a film that deals with injustice in a much more effective and believable way!

KenE I guess it's a measure of how effectively placed the class-war business of Austria's "The Inheritors" is, since so many people seem to think it takes place in the 19th century. Actually, the film is set in the early 1930s, with the shadow of the coming storm of Nazism and WWII ready to obliterate everything we're seeing, anyway.

dilbert This film is extremely well paced and beautifully photographed, and the characters are easy to relate to. Seven peasants unexpectedly inherit the farm on which they work after the farmer dies. The neighboring farmers view this as a breach of the rigid class structure in rural 19th century Austria and try to destroy the "One-Seventh Farmers." The tenacity with which the new owners defend their farm (and one another) is very touching. I loved it!