A by Catholicism and false sentimentality inspired, by Franz Antel directed Heimatfilm: could the premise ever be less promising? At the start of the film Sabine Bethmann tries to commit suicide by jumping into a river, probably as she was already aware what kind of film she was getting involved in (it can not be that she had that much grieve over Rudolf Prack?).
She should have been left alone, but unfortunately priest Hans Holt comes along and saves her from drowning; now the film has to continue. For the next half hour she is mum, which is understandable as she has now to face the Vienna Boy's Choir that tries to help her in refusing to shut up; she also has to deal with the unavoidable Heimatfilm lover (that's a laugh) Rudolf Prack and with our priest who gets to close to her for Catholic comfort. But not to worry, the Franz Antel was assisted by an advisor from the Catholic Church, and thus the priest is never allowed to get too close.
The soul of Sabine Bethmann may have been saved, but did the makers ever think about the soul of the viewer? (3/10)
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