The Golden Goose (1964)

In a quaint village, the humble Klaus shares a simple life with his two brothers, Kunz and Franz. Though they are cobblers by trade, the brunt of their work falls unfairly on the shoulders of Klaus. When Kunz and Franz venture into the forest on a wood-gathering mission, they brusquely deny an old woman's plea for food and wine, returning home empty-handed. This leaves Klaus to tackle the task, where he encounters the same old woman. Unlike his brothers, Klaus generously shares his meager meal, which magically transforms into a feast of pancakes and exquisite wine. As a token of gratitude, she gifts him a golden goose, a peculiar bird with a unique trait: it adheres to the prying, the envious, and the greedy. As Klaus embarks on his journey, the golden goose gathers a bizarre, colorful tail of individuals, all stuck to each other by the bird's enchanting power. This absurd spectacle succeeds in amusing the usually somber princess, inciting laughter from her for the first time. According to the king's decree, the man who could make the princess laugh is destined to be her husband. However, faced with the prospect of a pauper son-in-law, the king challenges Klaus with a series of tasks. With his innate cleverness, Klaus not only completes the tasks but also manages to unravel the human chain stuck to his golden goose. Left with no choice, the king finally consents to the unlikely union.

The Golden Goose is a family movie featuring Kaspar Eichel and directed by Siegfried Hartmann.

The Golden Goose is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Kanopy and The Roku Channel.