The Baroness from the Gas Station

Baronnessen fra Benzintanken is a Danish comedy film directed by Annelise Reenberg, released in 1960. The story follows the widow Baroness Alvilda von Rosensten (played by Maria Garland) who, after the death of her only son Jørgen, finds out that her estate is about to be taken over by her arch-rivals Clarissa Rabenfeldt (Erni Arneson) and her son Henning Rabenfeldt (Henrik Wiehe). However, when the family lawyer discovers a letter written by Helene Tofte, it is revealed that Jørgen had a child born out of wedlock, making that child the rightful heir to the estate. The baroness sends the lawyer to find the child, who turns out to be a beautiful young woman named Anne Tofte (Ghita Nørby) living with her uncle Lars Tofte (Ove Sprogøe) and his friend Hans Høj (Dirch Passer) at a gas station in Rønby. The story follows the family as Anne is brought to the estate and introduced to the household and the various conflicts that arise.

The film has a fun and light-hearted tone and is well-acted by the cast, particularly Ghita Nørby, Dirch Passer, and Ove Sprogøe, who are noted for outshining the rest of the cast. The story is less important than the informal family dynamic and the humorous situations that arise from it. While the film drags a little at times, it is an enjoyable watch overall. A shorter runtime of 15 minutes might have benefited the film. Overall, I would rate Baronnessen fra Benzintanken 7 out of 10 stars.