As a remake of the 1931 film, 'Mädchen in uniform' largely echoes its antecedent - the same broad story beats and dialogue, a similarly austere interior setting. There are also distinct differences though, presumably bolstered by a larger budget. The narrative and characters are slightly more developed, and some aspects are altered to make this 1958 rendition the film-makers' own. We get exterior scenes, and a wardrobe - while still pointedly drab - that seems more carefully considered. The mere fact of being a color film, with more advanced equipment, means the image is more sharp and clear, revealing greater detail, and the technical craft that was somewhat inconsistent before is realized with no small clarity here.
The same themes present in this tightly regimented boarding school, but perhaps with a marginally different slant. Where dialogue in the 1931 film spoke of "ennoblement" through the cruelty of school policies, in this version, the headmistress hypocritically emphasizes dissolution of her charges' agency. "I'm not a believer in a child's right to be an individual," she says, amidst additional dialogue asserting that the girls' only purpose is to become good wives of husbands and mothers of soldiers. Still, this is more for flavor - the feature is focused less on thematic content and more on narrative progression.
While the cast of 1931's 'Mädchen in uniform' was quite fine, the greatest character writing was devoted to those few most prominent figures, and only the most prominent actors were able to demonstrate their skill. The 1958 screenplay lends greater personality to more supporting characters, and great personality to the primary roles, too. Lilli Palmer carries noteworthy matronly poise as Fräulein Elisabeth von Bernburg, perhaps more evenhanded than Dorothea Wieck in the 1931 version. Romy Schneider, as Manuela, matches the nuance and emotive range of Hertha Thiele, if anything leaning even further into the most bombastic aspects of the protagonist.
The end result is a picture that largely reflects its established forebear, yet is sufficiently different from its predecessor, and still of a high quality, to merit consideration even with that familiarity. There are elements that are stronger in 1958 than they were in 1931, and other elements that are perhaps weaker. I don't think one film is wholly better than the other, and it all comes down to personal preference. Either way, just as the earlier film was enjoyable, 1958's 'Mädchen in uniform' is a fine, entertaining feature, worth checking out if you come across it.
