An unashamedly romantic film of Heinz Ruemann performed by a magnificent cast headed by Hertha Feiler, Hans Soehnker, Hans Nielsen and Susanne von Almassy. There is also a marvellous turn as a manservant by Erich Ponto who steals all of his scenes. Tremendous production values and an excellent score by Ruemann's favoured composer Werner Bochmann. Adapted from a play the script is by Helmut Weisse who directed Ruemann in one of his most popular films 'Die Feuerzangenbowle'. There is invariably a darker side to Third Reich films of course. One reads that the glorious Hertha Feiler, being a quarter Jewish, was only granted permission to work by virtue of being Ruemann's wife. Hans Soenker was apparently on the Nazi blacklist for his pro-Semitic activities. Compare Ponto's comic performance here with his terrifying portayal of Lord Talbot in Ucicky's flagrantly propogandist 'Das Madchen Johanna'. This should hopefully not lessen one's enjoyment of this delightful, charming and totally captivating film. Let us just be thankful for it.
Add a Review
-
brogmiller20 December 2019
-
sb-47-6087378 April 2019And not the least the heroine Hertha Feiler, probably the husband (Ruhmann) couldn't miss the opportunity to showcase her. And it helped since the movie was woven around her. The three men in her life popping in once in a while.
A simple story of a one night - but serious stand - broken due to misunderstanding / confusion in meeting place (will be repeated later in Love Affair/ An Affair to remember). But still they do unsuccessfully try to locate each other, but are handicapped - by the poverty of the girl, and rich but his business, which needed frequent and long duration travelling. They meet again after a couple of year, due to the memento of the night (wood carved angel) in possession of the girl, but by then, both of them are engaged to other persons, and also, unknown to him, she is mother of his child. Things do get sorted out, and simply too, since there were no villains in the movie.
This has quite a bit of theme of "Man Woman And Child" at least skeletally, though the treatment and the ending were different (this being RomCom).
The best thing what I liked is - despite having all the ingredients of soap - it never fell to the depth. The possibilities were all removed from the screen, and only referred to, as having happened, and it didn't create a void in the story either.
The only thing missing here was - why didn't they show the baby even once ? It was quite natural, that it should be shown a few times. Only time it was shown was in a photograph for a second or so. It is even more surprising considering their son, Heinzpeter, was perfect age at that time, almost the age of the screen-baby. With the mom and dad around, managing the baby won't have been a trouble, especially when screen-mom was real mom. Mom and Dad probably decided on not debuting their son, who finally did it much later in an un-credited role in Feuerwerk (the only one, documentaries excepted). I have to watch it again to spot him - must not be too difficult.
Well, this is just what the doctor orders for me, simple story, with a bit of comedy and no tragedy. With an efficient direction and perfectly paced flow. -
mart-459 September 2005A brilliant lyrical drama, which premiered right before Christmas 1944, is a minor masterpiece from the actor-director Heinz Rühmann (the husband of the leading actress Hertha Feiler), who has created a beautiful film about finding and losing the person of your dreams. It takes off like a German version of Sun Valley Serenade, but instead of stressing the comic approach, it concentrates on the bitter-sweet relationship of two people, who quite obviously are made for each other, but who need to endure many difficulties in order to finally realize that. The actors are very good and the direction flawless, with some really poetical images. There's one musical number, an instrumental piece performed on about ten concert grands - not unlike the Jose Iturby number in Anchors Aweigh. A very strong entry in the recently re-released collection of war time German classics.
-
Heinz Ruehmann was the most beloved screen star of the 20th century in Germany and remains the very embodiment of the mythical 'little man' in German culture. There's nothing slight about his directing talent, however, as displayed in this tender and moving romance about a couple who find each other one New Year's Eve, lose each other and struggle for years to find each other again. Beautifully scripted, shot and acted, with fine performances from all the principal players and sweetly evocative music by Ruehmann's favourite screen composer Werner Bochmann. Erich Ponto puts in a wonderfully deadpan performance as the butler Barnabas and Susanne Von Almassy is charming as the big-hearted Vera, but the film belongs above all to female lead Hertha Feiler, who was also Ruehmann's wife. It's just a pity that Ruehmann - who starred in so many films, from the 1920s through to the 1990s - directed only five.
-
cynthiahost8 September 2009If you had read a recent book on the films of the third Reich they now include the fact that not all films made in that time were propaganda.You have to be very academic like me to know this. A serious fan of classic cinema.Your big companies,like time Warner,MgmUA, Kino on video, don't serve us. Instead they serve the casual viewer and the fan of popular film classics only. They are greedy. So if they have a German film classic out on home video ,it will be mostly the propaganda ones. They make the fast buck. Thank goodness for ,germanvideo.net.The best of all the German video vender's in the U.S.A This was Heinz Ruhmann first time in the directors chair. This was his wife actress Hertha Feiller's leading role and her best during the war,and would be the only one that was the best in her film career.Since she was half Jewish ,she could only do films with permission of Goebels. Heinz bend the rules a bit by going out as the lead so she would take center stage.Achim, played by Hans Sohnker, is on a skiing vacation. He just had a fight with his girl friend Vera ,played by Suzzane V.Almassy,.He leaves her for the moment with his friend Beranrd, played by Hans Nielsen of Titanic fame,. Later Bernard would comfort Vera too.Well, he's out in the snow and stops along at a antique shop owned by Hlzschnitzer,played by Paul Rehkompf,.He notices a beautiful statuette of an angel and buys it from him. As he goes to his lodge, he notices someone has already went in there Susanne, played by Hertha Feiller. He angry with her but he lets her stay. But when she Leaves she decides to come back to let him know that she has no room. So he lats her stay. Paul shows up with his music instrument and then leaves and blows in it out side. By suggestion, which would have violated the American Haye's code, they make love. The next day they are suppose to meet but due to a mishap they go on the wrong trains. Oh I forgot he gives her the angel statue. Now,she so heart broken that she doesn't want the gift any more. It turns out that she a buyer for an antique shop. so she presents the statue to sell to her boss Dr. Thomas,played by Otto Graff.. It also turns out that Achim is president of a piano company. He goes on a business trip. His girl friend ,and may be fiancé, goes to the antique shop and buys the angel. Sussane isn't aware who the womens buying it for. When he comes back from business trip , Vera surprise him with the gift. It turns out he's a friend of Dr. Thomas. so he visits him to ask where he got the statue. When he is surprise that he find her and she find him and they are both happy. There's a scene in which she happy with tears when he leaves and looks at a baby picture which might suggest that she has his child. she and the Dr. are invited to a reception at Achims house.It might be an engagement party for Achim and Vera. When no one around they both start to argue what happen at that time but then things clear out when Vera show's to find out about them. she acts civilized.Later one of Dr clients and friend of Susanne, Theresa , ,played by Lina Carsten, is being told by Susanne and her affair and possible pregnancy confidentially. she suggests that he informs him and they get married . Well, Vera takes it in the chin. forcibly being married they both hate each other .Suzie confidentially lets Vera know of her pregnancy, may be. so later on when shes taking a ski trip she,notices the statue the the barkeeper has . she immediately goes to in her room and he's there and they fall in love all over again. this was the best non Nazi classic film ever saw. As of the 9th 9th 09 corrections. The cabin was not Achims. It was established earlier that Achims and Dr. Thomas were friends. Hans Gustav Achims and Susanne met at Christmas holidays. Holtzschnitzer ,played by Paul Rehkopf, did not own antique shop in mountains. Plus Dr Thomas and Susanne were getting engaged earlier.
-
morrison-dylan-fan28 December 2020After seeing all five of the films from France in 1944 currently with English subtitles, (all also reviewed) I decided on the last day of a poll being held for the best films from that year,to take a look other obscure titles. Finding a title set over Christmas/ New Year,I decided to pick up the harp.
View on the film:
Firing Cupids arrow between Hans and Susanne, director Heinz Ruhmann & cinematographer Ewald Daub unveil an immaculate atmosphere sipped from the Wiener Film genre, lining the background of each shot with regal luxuries that shine like diamonds, which sparkle in the snow lodge where the couple first meet being given the snow-covered appearance of coming straight from a fairy tale,and the statue of The Angel With a Harp being so dazzling,that all who glimpse it get cast under its spell and refuse all offers to sell it.
Separated from each other as the fireworks from the New Year fade, director Ruhmann works closely with editor Helmuth Schonnenbeck in tracking the lives of Susanne and Hans with remarkable precession match-cuts unfolding to graceful panning shots across their decadent and sparkling wipes sliding towards their reunion.
Hitting the target of giving Alois Johannes Lippl's play a more modern sensibility in Susanne being a single mother who decides to continue in education on her own, the screenplay by Helmut Weiss & Curt J. Braun thankfully hold the film away from getting spoiled with propaganda, instead keeping the romance sunny side up with sparkling, witty comedic dialogue igniting the old flames of the couple, who burn away from their current romantic entanglements.
Coming to accept he will never again meet the woman he spent New Year's Eve/Day in the snow lodge with,Hans Sohnker gives a dapper turn as Hans,whose stiff upper lip gentlemen manner Sohnker curls with rich snappy exchanges with his former lover.
Beautifully framed in each shot, Hertha Feiler (Ruhmann's wife!) gives a mesmerising turn as Susanne,thanks to Feiler weaving Susanne's playful one-liners and bubbling Melodrama romance with a enticing, thoughtful self-confidence,as Susanne plays the harp.