Fräulein

The story begins during the latter portion of WWII. Captain MacLain (Mel Ferrer) is an escaped American POW and it seems very unlikely that he'll manage to make it back to the Allied lines. However, unexpectedly, a German family, the Angermanns, hide the Captain from the authorities and eventually he is able to make it back to his people.

Shortly after this, Germany falls to the Allies. Since the family is now in eastern Berlin, the have to deal with the Soviet invasion. Women throughout the city are raped and Erika Angermann (Dana Wynter) has to do much to avoid this fate. To do so, she must move towards the American lines...hoping their soldiers are less cruel. Now, although she isn't being forced in sexual situations, there's almost no other choice as jobs are scarce and many German women turn tricks to avoid starvation. What is to happen with Erika? And, what about that Captain from the beginning of the film...what will he have to do with Erika and her future?

This story is very well done. It's an unusual story based on some actual events and manages to be both a drama, and later, a romance. Well worth seeing.

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.

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.

Those who prefer dramas as "Germany: Year Zero" may find "Fräulein" a bit too glamorized depiction of the drama of German people during and after World War II. Made during Cold War years, and every now and then spoilt by American propaganda, it is though an interesting story, dealing with a young woman from Köln who fights her way through war and armistice in Berlin, preserving her virginity every time she is forced into prostitution or quick sex with German clients or Russian soldiers. Dana Wynter gives a restrained one-note performance, but keeps the viewers interested with all the dramatic turns in her life, even if the denouement is typical Hollywood formula.

It is really a wonderful love story set in war time and post war Germany. Dana Wynter was her usual terrific self. This movie was shown on a cable channel a few years ago. I believe it was Amercian Movie Classics during the time their movies were commercial free and the host was Bob Dorian. I have not seen it since. It should be released as a classic on DVD.

One wonders why so many excellent screen classics and exceptional "made for TV" movies are never released in video or at least shown on regular or cable TV stations. Well, I guess we will never know. As a fan of this movie and one who would love to see it again, I'll keep hoping.