The Zurich Engagement (1957) User Reviews (4)

Unusual Romance, Holds Up Well Today

[SMK-4 · 7/10 · 31 January 1999]

An unusual romantic movie. Lilo Pulver plays an independent (for its time) dental assistant and hopeful scriptwriter who one day encounters the man of her dreams. Or perhaps she does not. Or perhaps she does.

The film has dated much less badly than other romantic comedies from this era. Amongst other reasons is that the central characters are not meant to be perfect, not even perfect for each other, and this adds a touch of realism that is very refreshing. The cast is excellent, in both supporting and leading roles - the leads are not completely overwhelmed by the notorious scene stealers Rudolf Platte and Werner Finck.

ONE OF KÄUTNER'S BEST IN THE 50'S

[J. Steed · 9/10 · 2 October 1999]

Helmut Käutner adapted the jolly novelette by Barbara Noack into a lighthearted and joyful romantic comedy with witty dialogue in the very good script. First viewing and an only rudimentary knowledge of the German cinema of the 50's may let the viewer escape all the niceties of the film. Noack's novelette partly takes place within the German film industry and Käutner expanded this premise to satirize the making of the same film, giving him the opportunity to mock the reigning laws within the German cinema. Furthermore he enriched the story by making the lead character into a more independent woman than in the novel.

Quite some though friendly, but always clear scoffing at the average sugar sweet German films of the 50's is going on. In the scene where the possibilities of filming the script are discussed a little statue of a deer is in the picture: the Bambi was a German film prize. Sonja Ziemann, regular in the Heimatfilm, at one moment says: That is what the people always want to see. Even a standard scene in genre Mountain film like the meeting of the girl and her two suitors in an Alpine hut, is taken care of. Käutner does not spare himself too; he always had a bit part for himself in his films and in this one he is a journalist saying to Bernhard Wicki (who plays the film director(!) very well): "I am against directors playing in their own films".

Käutner's direction is immaculate and I consider this stylish comedy one of his best films of the 50's and to be preferred to the film "Hauptmann von Köpenick" (made in 1956, just before this one) that gave him international recognition. The very good cinematography of Heinz Pehlke (his first in colour) in combination with the fine set and costume design make it a visually rewarding film as well. The music and songs by Michael Jary (text probably by Käutner) add to the enjoyment.

The cast is good and Liselotte Pulver is extremely well as Juliana and Paul Hubschmidt is well type-cast as the boring Swiss. And of course there could have been only one actor for the fictive part of Herr Uri: Rudolf Platte, who again only has a bit part but plays it like he has to carry the film. Anny Ondra and Max Schmeling have cameos.

Forgettable German color film from the 1950s

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 26 February 2017]

The 100-minute "Die Zürcher Verlobung" or "The Zurich Engagement" or "Getting Engaged in Zurich" is a West German German-language movie from 1957, which means this one has its 60th anniversary this year. The director is Helmut Käutner, possibly Germany's most successful filmmaker of his time, and he is also among the writers who adapted Barbara Noack's novel here. It's neither one of Käutner's early or late career works. Noack is still alive today way into her 90s and she was still relatively young when this film came out. Also there are more adaptations of her works, including this one here. Käutner's involvement also results in the participation of several pretty well-known actors, most of all Lilo Pulver in the lead. I won't go into detail about the supporting cast as you can check the list for yourself, but if you know a bit about German-language film from that era, then you will certainly recognize more than just one or two names.

Anyway, about the plot here, it is all about the romance and the comedy, even if there is a dramatic moment here and there as well, for example about a boy who has to live without his deceased mother. It is the typical mix-up comedy from Germany from that time and a lot of the comedy is about people mistaking people for other people and especially about (not always funny) plays on words. It is also a film on film as the protagonist is a writer in here and her (autobiographical) script gets picked up and results in people finding out things about her that she possibly did not want them to find out. Anyway, overall I found this film slightly messy and the script lacks focus on quite a few occasions. If you are into somewhat schmaltzy romance/relationship comedies, then maybe you can check it out, but honestly I would not recommend it. Also I did not find Pulver's character as likable or charming as I would have liked and that's a crucial factor here, not because you need to find characters likable in general to enjoy and appreciate a film, but because Käutner and his gang try so hard to make you care for her here. Acting's mediocre (sometimes over the top, a common problem during that time), script is mediocre (frequently forgettable) and the only somewhat good thing about this one is that it is in color, unlike all the war movies from Germany from that decade. But this is obviously not enough. Watch something else instead.

An all time favourite

[emkarpf · 10/10 · 2 February 2009]

This has been one of my favourite movies as a child, when they were still showing 1950s-movies on TV. I hadn't seen it for almost 20 years when I recently bought the DVD. I was surprised at how fresh it still felt - the dialogue is very witty, the relations of the characters are realistic (even sex is implied - huch! That in the German 50s!), and the recurring references to writing a screenplay and to German movies of the time are very amusing ("You should have a tame deer in it!"). The movie is carried by the brilliant lead actors - there couldn't have been anyone else than Lilo Pulver to play Juliane, and the contrast between Bernhard Wicki and Paul Hubschmid is the perfect analogy to Bueffel and Berner from Barbara Noacks novel. I'm glad I have it on DVD now.