This movie is the best one I ever saw directed by the great Veit Harlan. Starring his faithful wife Kristina Söderbaum as the title heroine this story combines the traditional German "Heimat Film" with ancient and supernatural aspects. Söderbaum gives a strong performance in this tear-jerker and the other characters add much to the dramatic impact of this masterpiece! It's a shame that it's so rarely broadcast on television these days.
2 Reviews
The best Hiemat film in this period
cynthiahost15 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The only crime that Viet Harland was guilty was blaming his first wife for his and scapegoating her Jewish heritage for his acting career not going through. He divorced her and she ended up in a concentration and exterminated. His joining the Nazi party and pacify agreeing with what the Nazis did. As far as his film influencing the very same henchmen to kill the Jews. They would of done it without Judd Suss. Since they were raised up against them any way.His crime was as equal as the rest of the German citizens crime including those who were pacify against the Nazi. There punishment was to continue living and facing what they cause to there cities and those memories of all those bodies in the photos and film that was shown.Both Viet and Kristine were punished in varied ways. Their careers were affected bad.But This was one of the few times that at this moment,1951, that he created a hit. This was a Heimat film and the only one that had a dark story and plot compare to most Heimat films would be. Shot in glorious A.G.F.A. color,this was a digitally restored print I saw. Viets older daughter and very young son participated in the film.Christine,playing Hannah, is just getting out of Prison for a crime she did. You see her being talk to by prison warder, Played by Franz Shafheitlin , and giving her therapy by playing with birds.Then it flashes back.She is a first grade teacher. One of her favorite students Hannes, is actually Viet Harlans real son Caspar,she pay much more attention.Kristine has lost some weight after the war compare her kind of plump look in Die Goldene Staht.Another character is the vet Alois Brunner, played by Hermann Shomberg. Her brother Thomas,played by Lutz Moik.The Mayor,Hans Hermann, and his daughter Rosi,played by Susan Korber Viets older Daughter.Well it seems that she and her brother live in their late parents home. They are all having dinner at her place the vet,Rosi, Her brother. The vet has some interest in Hannah but she obsessed with her brother Thomas. Rosi is interested in Thomas too as she fights Kristine form a necklace she has to reveal a picture. Well there's the wealthy land owner Redhead and middle age and pudgy Vera Columbani, played by Ilse Steppat. She owns a stable of Horses.During a horse show played at the community, She notices Thomas and riding a display of horses and sees him as a possible girls toy. He becomes interested in her even though she old enough to be his Aunt. This outrages Hannah and tries to talk with her after Vera shoots one of her horses comes out of the barn.Since Hannah is really in love with her brother. It doesn't work. When Vera and Thomas have an affair he thought that he might wanted to marry him. When he let her know she laughs at him. Against her approval ,Hannah, He decides to move in with Vera.She tries to reason with Vera Against this but Hannah gets real mad about it and Vera tries to make a pass at her.Later one her her best student Hannes is sick, She goes out to visit him and he dies. She buries him on her property and later plants flowers on his grave, Hannah has a dream about being Cleopatra or an Egyptian princess on a boat in the Nile with her Brother as her lover.She gets disappointed when she receives a letter from him that she and Vera are engaged. She and Aloise pour glasses of wine and make a sarcastic cheer. It's not working out so Thomas comes back.But it's only for the moment. He later goes back. Vera is having financial problems all of a sudden and has to sell most of her possessions to pay off dept. She tries to kill herself with a gun but Thomas stops her and takes her gun away.Later on in Hannah's place,Vera and Thomas and Hannah are having an argument . Hannah s get's out of it and notices the little gun and takes it out of his coat. Vera admits to Thomas that she never wanted to marry him so he get's mad and chases her with a knife. Hannahs sees this and tries to stop him with a gun noise. She accidentally shoots her dead. now back to the present she's let out of prison and is going to church. She checks how her family in the church is doing Before they notice her. Thomas has a mustache and has gotten married to another women. As soon as she leaves he sees her and follows her. He so glad to see her and missed her.She explain how she screwed up his life because of her obsession. Then leaves. She punishes herself by walking into the cold frozen hills. The vet and her family are up worrying about her. Wanting her home. so some one decides to go out and look for her. As soon as the tow men open the door, There she is on the ground frozen dead. This movie should be on DVD
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