A Long Ride to School

Der lange Ritt zur Schule – German title

Dlouhá cesta do školy – Czechoslovakian title

Az aranyrablók üldözője – Hungarian title

Sluga jazda do szkoly – Polish title

The Long Ride to School – English title

A 1981 East German production [D.E.F.A. (Pottsdam-Babelsburg)]

Producer: Wolfgang Rennebarth

Director: Rolf Losansky

Story: Gerhard Holtz-Baumert

Screenplay: Günter Karau, Gisela Karau

Cinematography: Helmut Grewald, Michael Göthe (Orwocolor)

Music: Karl-Ernst Sasse

Running time: 84 minutes

Cast:

Alex – Frank Träger (Franz Träger)

Milan/Red Kite – Gojko Mitić

Duff – Klaus Piontek

Alex’s father – Günter Piontek

Alex’s mother – Ellen Hellwig

Caretaker Sander – Dieter Franke

Jack Bull – Klaus Manchen (Klaus-Joachim Manchen)

Horse wrangler – Fritz Marquardt

Maren – Iris Riffert

Gisa Schintler – Barbara Schnitzler

Drinking Fox – Jörg Panknin

trapper – Rolf Hoppe

Outlaws – Leon Niemczyk, Fred Delmare (Werner Vondran), Hartmut Beer, Alfred Struwe

With: Bruno Carstens, Gerhard Rachold, Petr Skarke, Dieter Jager, Heidi Welskop (Heidrun Welskop), Harald Warmbrunn, Brigitte Beier, Karl-Ernst Sasse, Detlef Bierstedt, Peter Janott, Gertraud Last (Gertraut Last), Michael Nimmrich, Gerhard Rachold, Sabine Unge, Dieter Jäger 

 

Alex is a bright but day-dreaming boy. At a school assembly, he is reprimanded by the Principal that he is often late for school. His sporting achievements are not mentioned, which or course bothers Alex. Only his athletic teacher Milan (Gojko Mitic) gives him praise, because Alex can earn a coveted medal for the school at the next sporting event. His "enemies" are the students of another school that will be in competition at this athletic event. Alex is riding his bike to school the next day with his girlfriend Maren. He rides it every morning getting there on time, but today there is much to distract him. For example there is a horse wrangler, a nice old man who is traveling with his old horse, who will now use him to pull a horse-drawn carriage and smaller loads. Then he runs into the other students from the other school that will be his competition for the contested medal. As all this is happening, in Alex's imagination a story is developing. His bike becomes a wild mustang, on which he rides. The bad guys want to steal the gold (medals). Alex is assisted here by his Red Indian blood brother, Red Kite (Milan). In the end Alex manages to defeat the bad guys and get the gold back and arrives at school late again.

YouTube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kBFQq9yxic