Old-fashioned, but competent, well-written, well-paced and entertaining tearjerker that could have done with better direction, but that is saved by the convincing cast. Paul Hörbiger in the lead carries the film in a superb performance of the part that fits him perfectly; the supporting cast is equally fine, and especially Grethe Weiser and Wolfgang Neuss are fine in providing the comedy relief. There is an aspect to this film the makers could not have been aware of: after almost 50 years it is nice to see a by now completely disappearing trade, that of made-to-measure shoemaking. And there are some beautiful shoes to see.