Bearskin

Bearskin

1986 · 77 min · ★ 6.7 · Family, Fantasy

The war is over and soldier Christoffel has no prospects for the future and no money. He doesn't know what to do, so he meets the devil. He offers him a pact: Christoffel's pockets are always full of money, but he is not allowed to wash, cut his hair or nails for seven years and he is not allowed to sleep in a bed. If he doesn't keep to all these things, he will be forever devoted to the devil. Christoffel accepts the condition. Relieved of his worries about the future, Christoffel sets off. However, he soon becomes lonely. Society avoids him; he is dirty, unkempt and smelly. He only finds a place to stay in prison. He pays off the debts of a goldsmith, which wins him the heart of Katarina, the goldsmith's daughter. However, Christoffel is aware of his appearance and leaves her. After seven years, he is finally cleansed by the devil himself and returns to her as a well-groomed man.

Directed by Walter Beck · Written by Wilhelm Grimm

Your Rating

Where to Watch

Streaming

Rent or Buy

Cast

Make it a double feature

2h 32m together

Bearskin

Der Streit um des Esels Schatten

Both from Walter Beck.

More from Walter BeckSee all →

Der Streit um des Esels Schatten

Der Streit um des Esels Schatten · 1990

Der Streit um des Esels Schatten

The philosopher Democritus has a toothache, so a dentist from ancient Abdera sets off for his house. En route, he gets into a fight with a donkey driver. This conflict eventually causes all of Abdera to go crazy. Just when the city is seconds away from having a civil war, Democritus' apprentice shows up to ease the city's tensions with a gift.

The Beast Of Prey

The Beast Of Prey · 1978

The Beast Of Prey

After a wolf had killed a sheep in their village, 12-year old Roland and his friend Hugo keep track of the predator. Roland wants to build a trap to capture the wolf alive. His father, on the other hand, wants to kill the animal with the hunting collective. Thus, father and son become rivals. Whereas his father takes leave from his job to lie in wait for the wolf, Roland ditches school and tinkers with his trap.

Treasure on the Bottom of the Lake

Treasure on the Bottom of the Lake · 1969

Treasure on the Bottom of the Lake

MovieAdventureFamily

A young boy Jampoll is spending the summer in his grandfather village where he fights criminals using his friends help.

Drei Kapitel Glück

Drei Kapitel Glück · 1961

Drei Kapitel Glück

Ev and Peter fall in love at first sight. Peter studies dentistry in Leipzig and is eager to work in the country. There is an unfilled dentist vacancy in his home village. Ev, on the other hand, is drawn to the city. Being a commercial artist, she sees no chance to find a job in the country. This conflict becomes the first real test for their relationship.

Der rote Reiter

Der rote Reiter · 1970

Der rote Reiter

In 1920, Michael, the son of a German laboring man, decides to travel to Russia. As "red horseman" he wants to support the socialist revolution and fight for the welfare of the working class. The journey towards the east turns out to be both a big adventure and a severe ethical test for the young man. He has to escape the German Armed Forces and ends up at a traveling circus where he falls in love with Fanny, a dressage rider. He overcomes the temptation to stay with her at the circus and - after briefly joining a gang of teenage thieves - he eventually boards a ship heading east. Aboard the ship he finds out that the seamen are transporting weapons for the hostile members of the White Army.

Der neue Fimmel

Der neue Fimmel · 1960

Der neue Fimmel

Des Henkers Bruder

Des Henkers Bruder · 1979

Des Henkers Bruder

MovieFamilyAdventure

On the eve of the German Peasants' War, the family of the young Christoph falls victim to an act of revenge by the knight Scharfenstein. The peasant leader Joß takes Christoph in. He learns to read, write and use a weapon. When Hieronymus is on his way to fetch a flag to signal an uprising, Christoph discovers treachery. To warn Jerome, he rides after him. But he can no longer save him from arrest and fetches the flag himself. On the way back, he is arrested with it. In prison, he meets Jerome again - and his older brother Jacob, who is an executioner. Jakob wants to let his brother go if he renounces the Peasants' Union. Christoph refuses and is able to escape with the flag.

Stülpner-Legende

Stülpner-Legende · 1973

Stülpner-Legende

SeriesAction & Adventure

Stülpner-Legende is a German television series.

Die Schönste

Die Schönste · 1957

13-year old Thomas Berndorf, the son of the rich business man Alexander Berndorf, becomes friends with Hannes Wille, whose father works as foreman. They get to know each because Hannes sometimes is allowed to polish Berndorf′s Mercedes 300. They make a bet whose mother is the most beautiful. Hannes assumes that Mrs. Berndorf is only admired for her expensive jewellery. Thus, he suggests that Thomas should steal a collier from his mother. Out of solidarity, he also robs a golden brooch from his mother. At home at the Berndorfs, a severe crisis threatens Thomas′s parents′ "marriage of convenience", and financial hardships are following on the theft.

Claudia

Claudia · 1959

Claudia is a self-confident girl who spends time in a Young Pioneer camp and wants to prove that she can keep up with the boys in a scouting wide game.

Biberspur

Biberspur · 1984

Twelve-year-old Joochen lives in a village on the Elbe. He finds a shot beaver and takes it to school with him. The animals are a protected species and he wants the culprit to be found. He also wants to impress the others a little, especially the girl Corina. However, his discovery is met with disinterest and he goes off on his own in search of the culprit. In the process, he makes friends with the hunter "Eule", his future brother-in-law. Joochen finds out that "Eule" has shot the beaver, turns away from him in disgust and reports him to the police. His stubborn behavior does not meet with the approval of the others, because "Owl" did not kill the beaver on purpose. Despite his dislike, Joochen suggests "Owl" as a chaperone for the school trip, but doesn't want to go himself. At the last minute, he decides to go after all and reconcile with "Owl".

When Martin Was Fourteen

When Martin Was Fourteen · 1964

When Martin Was Fourteen

MovieFamilyDrama

Martin′s and his girlfriend′s Kathrin′s childhood comes to an abrupt end in 1920, when their Mecklenburg village is drawn into the events surrounding the Kapp putsch. By accident, Martin discovers a charge of weapons that land owner von Bröder had put away for the reactionary forces, and gives them to the workers in the city. When the village starts to organize a strike against the putsch, soldiers arrive at the village to hold down the residents of the village.

Kai from the Box

Kai from the Box · 1988

Kai from the Box

MovieComedyFamily

Kai, a young boy, living in 1923 Berlin tries to convince an American businessman that he can market his chewing gum better than anyone else in town.

Pinocchio

Pinocchio · 1967

MovieFantasyFamily

The puppet boy Turli, who was only recently been carved from wood by the toymaker Kasimir, suddenly springs to life. Turli has nothing but nonsense on his mind and wreaks chaos everywhere he goes, although he is actually supposed to attend school.

The Prince Beyond the Seven Seas

The Prince Beyond the Seven Seas · 1982

The Prince Beyond the Seven Seas

MovieRomanceFamily

The merchant's daughter Constanze, begs her father to ask a lion for a favor. Her father approaches the lion who agrees to his request with one condition: that he send the first person he meets upon his return home to the lion's den. It is Constanze. Against her father's will she goes to the lion and discovers that he is an enchanged prince and that only a woman's love can release him from the spell.

King Thrushbeard

King Thrushbeard · 1965

King Thrushbeard

MovieFantasyFamily

A fairy-tale about a beautiful but very haughty princess Anna who cruelly mocks each of her suitors. Finally she is forced by the king to marry a beggar. The poor life, hard work and love teach the princess a lesson and turn her into a loving and kind person.

More Like This

Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands · 1990

Edward Scissorhands

MovieFantasyDrama

A small suburban town receives a visit from a castaway unfinished science experiment named Edward.

Happily N'Ever After

Happily N'Ever After · 2007

Happily N'Ever After

MovieAdventureAnimation

An alliance of evil-doers, led by Frieda, looks to take over Fairy Tale Land. But when Ella realizes her stepmother is out to ruin her storybook existence, she takes a dramatic turn and blossoms into the leader of the resistance effort.

Shrek 2

Shrek 2 · 2004

MovieAnimationComedy

Happily ever after never seemed so far far away when a trip to meet the in-laws turns into a hilariously twisted adventure for Shrek and Fiona. With the help of ever-faithful Donkey, Shrek takes on the potion-brewing Fairy Godmother, pompous Prince Charming, and infamous ogre-killer Puss In Boots.

Ilya Muromets and Sparrow the Robber

Ilya Muromets and Sparrow the Robber · 2007

Ilya Muromets and Sparrow the Robber

MovieComedyAnimation

Ilya Muromets has to rescue his trusty horse Burushka and Kiev treasury from the greedy hands of the famous bandit, Sparrow the Robber.

Shrek

MovieAnimationComedy

It ain't easy bein' green -- especially if you're a likable (albeit smelly) ogre named Shrek. On a mission to retrieve a gorgeous princess from the clutches of a fire-breathing dragon, Shrek teams up with an unlikely compatriot -- a wisecracking donkey.

More on Prime VideoSee all →

Masterplan

Masterplan · 2026

MovieActionThriller

When a legendary thief sets his sights on the Mona Lisa, he recruits two young strangers to help him before revealing they are long-lost siblings… and oh yes, by the way, he is their father. Thrown into a chaotic reunion they never asked for, this new family must learn to work together — and try not to kill each other — if they want any chance at pulling off the heist of the century.

Love of Your Life

Love of Your Life · 2026

Love of Your Life

MovieRomanceDrama

After a chance encounter sparks a sweeping romance, Maya's future is suddenly upended, sending her on an unexpected journey to love and live again.

War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds · 2025

War of the Worlds

MovieScience FictionThriller

Will Radford is a top analyst for Homeland Security who tracks potential threats through a mass surveillance program, until one day an attack by an unknown entity leads him to question whether the government is hiding something from him... and from the rest of the world.

The Love Hypothesis

The Love Hypothesis · 2026

The Love Hypothesis

MovieRomanceComedy

Olive Smith, a biology PhD candidate, and Dr. Adam Carlsen, a hotshot professor and well-known tyrant, enter into a fake relationship, seeing each of their carefully calculated theories on love get thrown into chaos.

The Wrecking Crew

The Wrecking Crew · 2026

The Wrecking Crew

MovieActionComedy

Estranged half-brothers Jonny and James reunite after their father's mysterious death. As they search for the truth, buried secrets reveal a conspiracy threatening to tear their family apart.

Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe · 2026

Masters of the Universe

MovieActionFantasy

After being separated for 15 years, the Sword of Power leads Prince Adam back to Eternia, where he discovers his home shattered under the fiendish rule of Skeletor. To save his family and his world, Adam must join forces with his closest allies, Teela and Duncan/Man-At-Arms, and embrace his true destiny as He-Man — the most powerful man in the universe.

My Fault

My Fault · 2023

MovieDramaRomance

Noah must leave her city, boyfriend, and friends to move into William Leister's mansion, the flashy and wealthy husband of her mother Rafaela. As a proud and independent 17 year old, Noah resists living in a mansion surrounded by luxury. However, it is there where she meets Nick, her new stepbrother, and the clash of their strong personalities becomes evident from the very beginning.

The Last Sunrise

The Last Sunrise · 2026

The Last Sunrise

MovieRomanceDrama

Ry, a college student with a chronic illness, escapes to Mallorca for the summer with her mother, where she unexpectedly falls for a local and begins to embrace living in the moment. But as her condition worsens and long-hidden family secrets come to light, everything she has found before summer's end is threatened.

Drawn Together

Drawn Together · 2026

MovieRomanceThriller

Marfil, daughter of a powerful Spanish businessman, sees her life in New York turned upside down when she is kidnapped and released without explanation. Her father hires Sebastian Moore as bodyguard and, forced to spend every minute together, an inevitable attraction ignites in a world where nothing is as it seems.

The Sheep Detectives

The Sheep Detectives · 2026

The Sheep Detectives

MovieComedyFamily

George Hardy is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can't possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers.

Blade Runner

Blade Runner · 1982

MovieScience FictionDrama

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.

Red One

Red One · 2024

MovieActionAdventure

After Santa Claus (codename: Red One) is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with the world's most infamous tracker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas.

The Runner

The Runner · 2026

MovieThrillerAction

Maia Marten, a brilliant London lawyer, has her life shattered by a single call on her morning run: her son has been taken. To get him back, she must keep running, obey every ruthless command, and trust no one-each second a test of how far a mother will go to save her child.

You+Me - Against the World

You+Me - Against the World · 2026

You+Me - Against the World

MovieRomanceDrama

Alma Lancaster, 18, appears to lead a perfect life within a wealthy family who believes she is studying law. In secret, she pursues her true dream: filmmaking. On campus, she meets Vadim Arcadi, 20, a magnetic and solitary rebel with a troubled past. Forced to collaborate on a student film, they clash, grow closer and fall in love — despite themselves. But someone is watching them, determined to tear them apart and expose secrets that could destroy both Alma and Vadim.

Crime 101

Crime 101 · 2026

MovieCrimeThriller

When an elusive thief whose high-stakes heists unfold along the iconic 101 freeway in Los Angeles eyes the score of a lifetime, with hopes of this being his final job, his path collides with a disillusioned insurance broker who is facing her own crossroads. Determined to crack the case, a relentless detective closes in on the operation, raising the stakes even higher.

Pretty Lethal

Pretty Lethal · 2026

MovieActionThriller

A troupe of ballerinas find themselves fighting for survival as they attempt to escape from a remote inn after their bus breaks down on the way to a dance competition.

Jurassic World

Jurassic World · 2015

MovieAdventureScience Fiction

Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond.

Your Fault

Your Fault · 2024

MovieDramaRomance

The love between Noah and Nick seems unwavering despite their parents' attempts to separate them. But his job and her entry into college open up their lives to new relationships that will shake the foundations of both their relationship and the Leister family itself.

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War · 2026

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan: Ghost War

MovieActionThriller

Jack Ryan is reluctantly pulled back into espionage when an international covert mission unravels a deadly conspiracy. Racing against time, he joins CIA allies Mike November & James Greer and sharp MI6 officer Emma Marlowe to battle a rogue black-ops unit in a high-stakes, deeply personal fight.

Look Back

Look Back · 2024

MovieAnimationDrama

Popular, outgoing Fujino is celebrated by her classmates for her funny comics in the class newspaper. One day, her teacher asks her to share the space with Kyomoto, a truant recluse whose beautiful artwork sparks a competitive fervor in Fujino. What starts as jealousy transforms when Fujino realizes their shared passion for drawing.

Rate this film

Your ratings make Midnight smarter