So Little Time

I only ever saw this movie once, and that was in the late 1960's when I was doing my year 12 (back then matriculation)exams. I remember that I had a Friday afternoon exam, so my parents allowed me to stay up late to unwind. I also recall my Father exiting shortly after it started, and my Mother attempting to turn the TV off, when Nicole flung herself into Colonel Holensee's arms, because she didn't want her erstwhile enemy to leave her family mansion. Thankfully I didn't give into my Mother's discomfort, and was the only one to watch it to its tear jerking end.

I had always liked Marius Goring in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, but after seeing him in SO LITTLE TIME, I developed a schoolgirl crush on him that I have never fully recovered from. This movie has left a lasting impression on my mind after a single viewing. It was wonderful finding this web page and reading other people's responses to it. It made me realize that I wasn't as nutty as I thought I was.

I would love to see this movie again, partly to check to see if any of the details I think I recall, are indeed correct. For instance I think that I remember that Colonel Holensee had an old war wound on one side of his face, which periodically gave him trouble, prompting him to pop a pill or two. Then there was Anna, the housekeeper/cook (Janet from the 1960's DR. FINLAY'S CASEBOOK)at the de Malvines' mansion, who bossed the Colonel's batman about. One scene I think I managed to confirm, is when Holensee takes Nicole to THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO, they watch the final act from the wings. Shortly after that scene I think that I recall another scene at the theatre, when an old friend/flame(?)of Holensee is alone with him. She has noticed that the Colonel is smitten with Nicole, and so tells him to do something as there is "so little time". At the very end, after Holensee has shot himself (as they all did in DOWNFALL), I think that there was a shot (camera this time, not gun) of the batman wiping his glasses, and then the rain beginning to fall on some autumn leaves.

One thing that I am 95% certain of is that I saw this movie on ABC TV (Australian Broadcasting Commission), as out TV was rarely turned on to other channels. I emailed them in late January this year. I received this response a week later "I am sorry to say that the ABC does not currently have the rights to screen this film. However I have noted your request and will forward it on to Television Acquisitions so that they are aware of your interest".

My gut feeling is:

a)the ABC still has a copy of SO LITTLE TIME

b)the copyright is held by the German company who have so annoyingly dubbed it into Deutsch

c)the ABC is probably not interested in buying the screening rights because they are either too expensive, or it would be a waste of staff time trying to purchase rights from a German company they don't normally deal with, or both.

If anyone in Australia would like to see SO LITTLE TIME again, or indeed for the first time, please email the ABC, or write to them. Maybe if they get a number of enquiries, they might actually do something about acquiring the screening rights.

I have loved this movie ever since I was a child when it seemed to be on television regularly in the 60s and 70s. It was also my mother's favourite film and I once arranged for it to be shown at the British Film Institute in London as a birthday gift for her.

However, just wanted to tell people that it is now available on DVD in Germany. Unfortunately only a dubbed version (with no subtitles) but for someone like me who was desperate to see it again - it was better than nothing. I have absolutely no idea why this film has not been made more available within the UK, on video, or on television where it not been shown to my knowledge within the last 20 years. Once again I have loved this moving love story which given the subject matter of the film could only end the way it does. Also, it is the only film I have seen where Marius Goring was sexy!!

I saw this film in the very early 60s on a NYC local channel that broadcast a show called Million Dollar Movie, in which the same film was shown every single night for one week. I was 13 or 14 and my mother was away, so I was free to watch it every night, which I did! (She would have scoffed at my teary romanticism.) All its elements -- WW II, resistance fighters, family betrayal, sympathetic German officer and a beautiful and conflicted young woman -- combined to make an unforgettable film. I have never forgotten it, remembering very specific scenes to this day, and I too would give anything to have a copy of it. My daughter lives in Germany, perhaps she can get me the German edition (even tho it is dubbed).

First i am happy to find a lot of people who are so fond of this film like me!Since years I try to get it in the original English synchronized version,because the German synchronized is,except M.Schell ,with strange and silly voices and stiff dialogs.I am so much interested in hearing the real voice of Marius Goring,and I cannot understand,why he did not speak the German version himself,although he did speak so fluently and without an accent!Both main actors are extremely good in this film ,and all the others too,to my opinion.Iwould be very happy,if I could get an English DVD ,but to get it in Germany is nearly impossible!! Jutta Dreesen

How sad that this film appears to have been lost - how do you "lose" such an good film?

I too have only seen it once, on television - was it in the seventies? But I've never forgotten it, and always kept an eye out for it to appear on television again, especially since the advent of cable, or in video stores, but it has eluded me.

I've always liked Marius Goring's work - yes, I fell in love with him in The Red Shoes - but this film was particularly strong in both story- line and casting. I've always preferred black and white film for drama, and it was just right for this romantic and ultimately tragic story.

I'm rating it high, although I saw it so long ago and can't remember details, but for any film to have had such an impact that one can't forget it decades later after one viewing, means it deserves the highest rating.