This film is a character study of modern culture in collision with that of the "countryside" in Austria. It's interesting not only as a flick based on teutonic inheritances but as a statement that as far as the human condition goes it is more or less invariant to location, period or situation. The protagonists work out their senses of guilt, shame, remorse and responsibility in interaction with each other such that they themselves often do not realize that that is what they are up to. The film has an existential quality while commenting on those aspects of life and humanity that are not often made explicit in classic existentialist renderings. The story, the actors and the countryside are sufficiently interesting to cause the casual watcher to ignore the philosophical message with impunity and merely enjoy a slighty operetic unfolding of life drama on film. Almost excellent.