Tonnerre sur Berlin

This is Dana Wynter's film, there is no question about it. It is her story as the daughter of a German professor in Cologne who gets killed in one of the last air raids of the war, whereafter she is lost and has to survive by any means, possible or impossible. She ends up in Berlin where she has to lead an existence like one of the ruins, until chance moves in. It's a great story, and although Mel Ferrer is the male lead, he is actually only a supporting actor to Dana Wynter, who makes her smile. There are many fine sequences, but one of the best is the appearance of Theodore Bikel as a Russian officer saving her from harassment by his soldiers and actually saving her life, while he gets drunk out of infatuation with her, wishing to marry her and take her as a bride to Bucharest and giving a hell of a party, before he vanishes out of the film to further unknown adventures in Bucharest. Another poignant scene is her encounter with her crippled former fiancé, who is too well aware of that the world of their love its gone forever and acts accordingly. Throughout the film Dana Wynter keeps her poise, she never smiles, she is dead serious too well aware of the war that has ruined her world and possibilities, and yet her personality brings some magic that makes people help her on - the story of her room mate is of vital importance and should be followed carefully, from the moment she steals her vodka and to the final crisis. This is a film to love and enjoy, and there is no propaganda in it. Berlin is caught in the realism of its ruins, like the whole film is genuinely realistic. Henry Koster was thoroughly reliable throughout his career and made many classics, although he never was generally put in the first rank.

Despite Fassbinder's admiration for Douglas Sirk this glossy production in colour and 'scope by his compatriot Henry Koster more closely resembles the younger director's 'The Marriage of Maria Braun' than anything Sirk himself made (which might not be mere coincidence since leading man Mel Ferrer was later in Fassbinder's 'Lili Marlene').

Because allegiances had switched in the intervening ten years since the time in which it was set the Russians are far less attractively portrayed than the Germans; but at least Theodor Bikel gets to sing!

would like to buy this in DVD or VHS any inf. on this. when will this be out on the things i mentioned. i enjoyed this movie. this is one of the better movies that was made. so if you can help me to purchase this movie i would appreciate it very much. thank you for letting me make a comment on this movie. i cannot say enough about these old movies they should have more of them on DVD or VHS. i do not know why they are not putting all the old movies on DVD or VHS you would or could make a lot of money. because there are a lot of old folks that would buy these movies. when i was a young man i have seen a lot of movies if they were on tape i would not hesitate to buy them. i was also looking for the tarzan movies with johnny weissmuller. all of them not just 6 they have out now. thank you again

Dana Wynter had presence ( not all actors do ) and I feel she was vastly underrated. Here she is given the lead in a film that attempts to reconstruct Germany at the time of its defeat, and the advance of the Soviets into Berlin. With the brutal death of her father in Cologne Erica goes to Berlin, and there inadvertently enters a house of prostitution. Interestingly told it is full of stereotypes ( less for the Germans than the Soviets ) and this in many ways detracts from the films serious approach. Perhaps Koster was not the right director, but the scenario borders on the sensationalist aspect of the Soviets, and that in the main was their need to rape any woman on sight, including of course Erica. Mel Ferrer ( not the best actor ) is the G. I. who comes like a shining knight to save her, and here end of spoilers. Filmed well in Cinemascope there are good moments, but it is Dana Wynter's film and in my opinion she carries it more or less single handed to a higher level. Another ' lost ' film that I accidentally saw on television. Worth seeing but on my part with deep reservations about authenticity.

I have seen more authentic films about post-war Germany but this tale is pleasant enough viewing. There are more than a few instances of clumsy direction and poor acting which are somewhat disengaging, but the film does seem to improve as it goes along. For some reason the initial scenes are very brief and perfunctory. Further into the film there are some quite dramatic scenes with the heroine escaping various fates. Dana Wynter is very beautiful eye candy, but she is saddled with a poorly written character and radiates sulkiness for most of the film, before an improbable U-turn. Mel Ferrer is a likeable and graceful hero (cute butt, Mel!) but is scarcely portrayed with any depth. When it comes to charm, the piano-playing friend steals the scene. I enjoyed the "lucky break" the heroine experiences at the end of the film, which leaves you with a warm feeling. So overall, a positive rating, but I think the guy who wrote the novel (by all accounts a more realistic version) has probably never stopped complaining about what Hollywood did to his opus..