The actress Ruth LEUWERIK (1924-2016) was one of the biggest film stars of West German cinema in the 1950s. In 1959, under the direction of ACADEMY AWARD nominee Robert SIODMAK (nominated in 1947 for THE KILLERS and 1958 for NACHTS, WENN DER TEUFEL KAM), she played a character based on a model by Nobel Prize winner Gerhart HAUPTMANN (1862-1946).
The young Dorothea suffers greatly from the strict upbringing of her father (Alfred SCHIESKE), who is very respected as a Protestant pastor. She is very fortunate to get to know other people through her training as a housekeeper. Unfortunately, she comes across a nasty chef (Kurt MEISEL), who shamelessly exploits the inexperienced woman. After a misstep, she finds herself pregnant and is forced into marriage by her God-fearing father. Then a fatal incident occurs...
When Gerhart HAUPTMANN premiered his play in Vienna in 1926 (where ACADEMY AWARD nominee Oskar HOMOLKA (nominated for SECRET OF THE MOTHER in 1949) played the evil chef), his contemporaries viewed it as somewhat old-fashioned and outdated in terms of the figure drawing. The figure of the priest's father already refers to the modern classic THE WHITE RIBBON (2009) by ACADEMY AWARD winner Michael HANEKE, in which EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee Burghart KLAUSSNER plays a very similar character. The play by HAUPTMANN and the later film by SIODMAK certainly should have been a little harder and crueler to make the story told more believable. Ruth LEUWERIK, who has been the undisputed heartthrob of the German-speaking world since her mega success with The TRAPP FAMILY (in 1956 the film attracted more than 26 million people to West German cinemas!!!), also played too cautiously in order to be the real one to make the drama of the story clear. A discovery is the Yugoslavian actor Bert SOTLAR (1921-1992), who, as a charming gentleman, promises to be a lifeline for the long-suffering Dorothea.
Despite dramaturgical weaknesses, it's a classic from the West German film industry that's worth seeing! Not only recommended for fans of the great Ruth LEUWERIK!
The young Dorothea suffers greatly from the strict upbringing of her father (Alfred SCHIESKE), who is very respected as a Protestant pastor. She is very fortunate to get to know other people through her training as a housekeeper. Unfortunately, she comes across a nasty chef (Kurt MEISEL), who shamelessly exploits the inexperienced woman. After a misstep, she finds herself pregnant and is forced into marriage by her God-fearing father. Then a fatal incident occurs...
When Gerhart HAUPTMANN premiered his play in Vienna in 1926 (where ACADEMY AWARD nominee Oskar HOMOLKA (nominated for SECRET OF THE MOTHER in 1949) played the evil chef), his contemporaries viewed it as somewhat old-fashioned and outdated in terms of the figure drawing. The figure of the priest's father already refers to the modern classic THE WHITE RIBBON (2009) by ACADEMY AWARD winner Michael HANEKE, in which EUROPEAN FILM AWARD nominee Burghart KLAUSSNER plays a very similar character. The play by HAUPTMANN and the later film by SIODMAK certainly should have been a little harder and crueler to make the story told more believable. Ruth LEUWERIK, who has been the undisputed heartthrob of the German-speaking world since her mega success with The TRAPP FAMILY (in 1956 the film attracted more than 26 million people to West German cinemas!!!), also played too cautiously in order to be the real one to make the drama of the story clear. A discovery is the Yugoslavian actor Bert SOTLAR (1921-1992), who, as a charming gentleman, promises to be a lifeline for the long-suffering Dorothea.
Despite dramaturgical weaknesses, it's a classic from the West German film industry that's worth seeing! Not only recommended for fans of the great Ruth LEUWERIK!
