Der Engel mit dem Saitenspiel

A brilliant lyrical drama, which premiered right before Christmas 1944, is a minor masterpiece from the actor-director Heinz Rühmann (the husband of the leading actress Hertha Feiler), who has created a beautiful film about finding and losing the person of your dreams. It takes off like a German version of Sun Valley Serenade, but instead of stressing the comic approach, it concentrates on the bitter-sweet relationship of two people, who quite obviously are made for each other, but who need to endure many difficulties in order to finally realize that. The actors are very good and the direction flawless, with some really poetical images. There's one musical number, an instrumental piece performed on about ten concert grands - not unlike the Jose Iturby number in Anchors Aweigh. A very strong entry in the recently re-released collection of war time German classics.

An unashamedly romantic film of Heinz Ruemann performed by a magnificent cast headed by Hertha Feiler, Hans Soehnker, Hans Nielsen and Susanne von Almassy. There is also a marvellous turn as a manservant by Erich Ponto who steals all of his scenes. Tremendous production values and an excellent score by Ruemann's favoured composer Werner Bochmann. Adapted from a play the script is by Helmut Weisse who directed Ruemann in one of his most popular films 'Die Feuerzangenbowle'. There is invariably a darker side to Third Reich films of course. One reads that the glorious Hertha Feiler, being a quarter Jewish, was only granted permission to work by virtue of being Ruemann's wife. Hans Soenker was apparently on the Nazi blacklist for his pro-Semitic activities. Compare Ponto's comic performance here with his terrifying portayal of Lord Talbot in Ucicky's flagrantly propogandist 'Das Madchen Johanna'. This should hopefully not lessen one's enjoyment of this delightful, charming and totally captivating film. Let us just be thankful for it.

Heinz Ruehmann was the most beloved screen star of the 20th century in Germany and remains the very embodiment of the mythical 'little man' in German culture. There's nothing slight about his directing talent, however, as displayed in this tender and moving romance about a couple who find each other one New Year's Eve, lose each other and struggle for years to find each other again. Beautifully scripted, shot and acted, with fine performances from all the principal players and sweetly evocative music by Ruehmann's favourite screen composer Werner Bochmann. Erich Ponto puts in a wonderfully deadpan performance as the butler Barnabas and Susanne Von Almassy is charming as the big-hearted Vera, but the film belongs above all to female lead Hertha Feiler, who was also Ruehmann's wife. It's just a pity that Ruehmann - who starred in so many films, from the 1920s through to the 1990s - directed only five.

And not the least the heroine Hertha Feiler, probably the husband (Ruhmann) couldn't miss the opportunity to showcase her. And it helped since the movie was woven around her. The three men in her life popping in once in a while.

A simple story of a one night - but serious stand - broken due to misunderstanding / confusion in meeting place (will be repeated later in Love Affair/ An Affair to remember). But still they do unsuccessfully try to locate each other, but are handicapped - by the poverty of the girl, and rich but his business, which needed frequent and long duration travelling. They meet again after a couple of year, due to the memento of the night (wood carved angel) in possession of the girl, but by then, both of them are engaged to other persons, and also, unknown to him, she is mother of his child. Things do get sorted out, and simply too, since there were no villains in the movie.

This has quite a bit of theme of "Man Woman And Child" at least skeletally, though the treatment and the ending were different (this being RomCom).

The best thing what I liked is - despite having all the ingredients of soap - it never fell to the depth. The possibilities were all removed from the screen, and only referred to, as having happened, and it didn't create a void in the story either.

The only thing missing here was - why didn't they show the baby even once ? It was quite natural, that it should be shown a few times. Only time it was shown was in a photograph for a second or so. It is even more surprising considering their son, Heinzpeter, was perfect age at that time, almost the age of the screen-baby. With the mom and dad around, managing the baby won't have been a trouble, especially when screen-mom was real mom. Mom and Dad probably decided on not debuting their son, who finally did it much later in an un-credited role in Feuerwerk (the only one, documentaries excepted). I have to watch it again to spot him - must not be too difficult.

Well, this is just what the doctor orders for me, simple story, with a bit of comedy and no tragedy. With an efficient direction and perfectly paced flow.