A simply marvelous film made in 1958 dealing with post-war Germany.
Actress Dana Wynter delivers a marvelous performance as Erica. What she has to endure here is absolutely memorable. Both Erica and her father shield an escaped American prisoner of war (Mel Ferrer) in their Cologne home towards the end of the war. Right after he leaves, her father is killed in a bombing and she takes refuge with a recently widowed cousin who has 2 very nasty people working for him. When the cousin is killed trying to protect Erica from drunken Russian soldiers, she escapes prison from Col. Dmitri, wonderfully played by Theodore Bikel. Bikel seemed to have mastered the Russian army role. He would repeat that character in a comical way 8 years later in "The Russians are Coming, The Russians Are Coming." Of course, Dmitri wants sexual favors for saving Erica and when he proposes, she escapes to the west. By coincidence, she meets up with Mel Ferrer, the guy she and dad had sheltered. He is now a big-wig in the American army.
Unfortunately, before this, she had met up with that nasty couple from her cousin's house. They are now in the game of prostitution and they sign her up. Realizing what's going on, she runs away but her name is on the prostitution list throughout Germany.
Her encountering with her former German fiancé is memorable. Helmut Dantine plays the part so well in a one well defined scene.
The ending is absolutely satisfying. This is a well-done film by director Henry Koster. It tells of citizens of a defeated country trying to make it in a new world.
Actress Dana Wynter delivers a marvelous performance as Erica. What she has to endure here is absolutely memorable. Both Erica and her father shield an escaped American prisoner of war (Mel Ferrer) in their Cologne home towards the end of the war. Right after he leaves, her father is killed in a bombing and she takes refuge with a recently widowed cousin who has 2 very nasty people working for him. When the cousin is killed trying to protect Erica from drunken Russian soldiers, she escapes prison from Col. Dmitri, wonderfully played by Theodore Bikel. Bikel seemed to have mastered the Russian army role. He would repeat that character in a comical way 8 years later in "The Russians are Coming, The Russians Are Coming." Of course, Dmitri wants sexual favors for saving Erica and when he proposes, she escapes to the west. By coincidence, she meets up with Mel Ferrer, the guy she and dad had sheltered. He is now a big-wig in the American army.
Unfortunately, before this, she had met up with that nasty couple from her cousin's house. They are now in the game of prostitution and they sign her up. Realizing what's going on, she runs away but her name is on the prostitution list throughout Germany.
Her encountering with her former German fiancé is memorable. Helmut Dantine plays the part so well in a one well defined scene.
The ending is absolutely satisfying. This is a well-done film by director Henry Koster. It tells of citizens of a defeated country trying to make it in a new world.