Gabriela (1950) User Reviews (3)

TYPICAL LEANDER VEHICLE

[J. Steed · 7/10 · 14 November 1999]

After WW2 Zarah Leander made her come-back in German cinema with this film. Whether on purpose or not director/writer Geza von Cziffra made a Leander vehicle in the old (UFA) style of her films of the 40's with Leander as an independent lady from the upper middle class. As it turned out this style was obsolete in 1950 and the film was a box-office failure (and Leander's return to the German cinema as well).

Seen in retrospect after almost 50 years (and not troubled by history) I consider this film as part of Leander's film career as a whole and the film as Leander vehicle indeed fits perfectly with her films during the Nazi period. Von Cziffra wrote an in general good melodrama with all the typical Leander ingredients and with all the story ideas building up to a good final. I say in general as towards the end the story material more or less runs dry.

Von Cziffra avoids the melodrama getting sentimental by adding little (visual) jokes to those scenes which could have drifted into sentimentality thus keeping the film in balance. The first part is very good melodrama, well-directed and well-paced (and good story telling), but Von Cziffra lets the film drag a bit from the flashback scenes onwards; these flashback scenes themselves are already disturbing for the film's balance and this is never fully recovered afterwards. As said, the finale is good melodrama ("everything comes together"), but the dramatic impact is undermined as the film's pacing and balance is disturbed.

Leander is great and sings three good songs (music by Michael Jary), with one of them a very odd, romantic song: "Wann willst du mich fragen?". Very good supporting cast in Carl Raddatz, Grethe Weiser (who else for the comedy relief?) and Vera Molnar. Siegfried Breuer is a bit disappointing, he acts purely on routine. The stage dresses for Leander are exquisite; the song and dance routines in the nightclub add to the fun.

Needless to say that this is a must-see for Leander aficionados? (7/10)

Zarah Leander' Return

[Weykersheim · 14 July 2005]

"Gabriela" is in a few ways disappointing, because of his lack not use the high qualities of all members, but it was a great success in 1950. It was after "Shhwarzwaldmädel" and" The Third man" the third biggest box office hit in Germany. Whith this picture the German industry returned to the international market in Europe after the war and it did a good job. All this is often forgotten. Unfortunatetly the German film didn't manage it to use a star like Zarah Leander despite her fame. But all her films became great financial hits. Zarah Leander picture were the only films in which a woman beyond the age of 40 starred. It was the beginning of the short but strong career of Vera Molnar. And is all way the picture had a good and strong acting for the subject of a melodrama, only Card Raddatz seemed to be miscast.

Good comeback for Leander

[cynthiahost · 10/10 · 7 May 2012]

Well after the war, when Zarah decided she was not going to be a Nazi and took off back to Sweden,every body was mad with her.She tried to explain that she used the Nazis only for the money.But because of 6 million murders cause by the Reich they scapegoat her .What could she do? Well her best friend and song writer Michael Jary decided that he was going to make every one forget that she served Hitler with new concert tours and a new movie.Her comeback was financed by her own money.I got one info that it was a bomb and another it was a hit.If it was a bomb then why did Leander continued to make film in Germany in the fifties and sixties? I found it great.Zarah as Gabriela, who had her daughter ,Andrea portrayed by Vera Molnar, being raised in a ski lodged ,owned by Kathe Haak as Matthes, after Gaby divorced her Industrialist Husband Thomas Lorenzen,played by slightly over weighted Siegfried Breurer.Zarah plays a successful singing star, who rune her own night club,with the help of her boy friend Charlie, played by Carl Raddatz, who for the first time in film sings and dances. Like in Die Grosse Liebe,Gretha Wieser plays Zarahs side kick in this film too.The plot is that Gabby retires so she can be with her daughter, who's already grown up and has a boyfriend,Peter, played by Gunnar Moller.Vera doesn't want to leave the ski lodge and live with mother but feels compelled ,may be she's under age .Radaatz character has a drinking problem and Gabby pays for his drinks.It doesn't interfere in His orchestrating for the night club.You have numbers in it beside Zaras beginning .Tap dancing numbers, where a chorus boys and girls tap dance to a jazzy tune.Arno Assmann as Freddy Lambert,portrays her night club manager, finds out her past in attempting to get her back cause none of the chorus girls can sing as good as she, dubbed by Grethe Weisners voice? Vera getting bored decides to get a job as secretary at he Uncles Hansens car Garage, played by German stalwart actor again Albert Florath.Siegfried and Zarah confronting each other about Vera and Vera being confronted by Siegfried, Leads to Vera getting P- off and moving in with Uncle.Zarah decides to go back to the club and as she is having a Christmas party with the employees singing ."I'm dreaming of a white Christmas ," in German, Nope! I'm teasing,Vera comes back.She realizes that she' was being immature herself.A year later ?Zarah would attempt to do a concert tour in the u.s.a ,but, she would be turned downs and be accused of being a communist.But she would make her successful concert tour in the United states in 1968.This is a great digital print available in The united states by Germanwarfilms.com 05/07/12