Kitty, une sacrée conférence

This film is said to have been lost for some time and it was only by chance that this black and white copy turned up. The original was a color film, as printed on most of the movie covers. A bit of a shame. Actually, several color copies should have survived, because Romy Schneider and Karl-Heinz Böhm were very popular at the time and I think the film must have been shown in many small and large cinemas. So I can only hope that such a copy will one day turn up and be remastered. It's a harmless but very enjoyable movie. Every character is convincingly portrayed.

However, there is a small cast mistake: Rainer Penkert is not "Hopkins", but "Steel" and Wolfgang Völz is "Hopkins". When "Kitty" is eating with "Robert Ashlin" in the pub where the children are playing very loudly, he receives a call and recognizes "Hopkins" on the phone. He even asks again. There is an immediate cross-fade and Wolfgang Völz is shown on the phone. ;o)

You do not change a winning team;the Romy Schneider/Karl Boehm partnership proved highly successful in the legendary "Sissi" which became one of the biggest blockbusters in fifties Europa and spawned two sequels (Romy turned down a hefty sum to make a fourth episode) So here they are again,but their numerous fans have got to be patient :it takes 48 minutes before they meet.

"Kitty Und Die Große Welt" is pleasant harmless stuff ,in the tradition of Schneider's very early roles;she was 16 (and not 18 ,as we are told in this movie)and portrays not an empress but a musician 's daughter ,a musician who plays in the fanfare which welcomes the ministers of the foreign affairs who come for an international conference in Geneva .

Kitty is a manicurist who ,by chance ,meets the English minister ("you could be my father")and becomes a prey to the tabloids ;to protect her ,the politician sends his nephew (Boehm) who,of course ,is going to fall for her.They go on a stroll by the banks of Genova Lake and enjoy cheese fondue (there's a similar scene in an inn in the second installment of the Sissi Saga).

Meanwhile ,the uncle,who has never a penny in his pocket ,discovers the bistros ,he takes the bus as humble people do ;the best scene takes place on the lake when the boy claims his due and the distinguished English has to row the boat ashore.

This is a simple comedy,but one that might possess considerable appeal for fans of Sissi .For those who like Schneider's later career,they'd better move on.As for me,I like Romy in any movie.