Fräulein Doktor

I saw this at the theater in the early 1970's. The most memorable and scary scene is when the German army attacks with yellow cross mustard gas for the first time. The Germans and their horses are covered from head to toe (or hoof) with eerie protective suits. The experienced British soldiers don gas masks (only) and once again await the clouds of gas and the German attackers. The gas clouds move ever closer, finally enveloping the British defenders. The Germans move forward slowly menacingly in their scary looking garb. Suddenly a scream from the defenders... This gas is like no other that they have experienced before....

Now you will know why I have remembered this scene for the last 30+ years and still shiver, I think that you will too!

The gas attack scene is impressive without a doubt... and there is certainly here a chillingly accurate rendition of the horrors of war... The comparisons with later films such as Jacob's Ladder are fine as long as this one gets the nod as the superior one (no cheap letdown surprise in the end!).

But what makes this film stand out for me is that it breaks a barrier - an important one even for the ''sexy year'' of 1969...

For the first time ever to my knowledge we had two major female stars embrace in such a suggestive way it left nothing to the imagination and it was thus the first ''big'' sapphic display with two stars!

We would have to wait until the 80's for another such exhibition - Catherine Deneuve (the new Capucine?) and another Suzy (Susan Sarandon) in The Hunger.

Capucine was a major star - bigger than Suzy Kendall at the time. She had co-starred with William Holden, Peter Sellers and David Niven... To see her cast as this very sapphic Dr.Saforet was indeed... surprising.

Both actresses perhaps paid with their careers for their daring avant-gardedness here, in this most unique war film, or so it seems...

During the First World War, female German spy Fraulein Doktor (Suzy Kendall) and her squadron of saboteurs are assigned by German Intelligence Col. Mathesius (Nigel Green) to risked plan : to kill Lord Kitchener , obtain the Allied defense plans , and to rob the new French mustard-gas formula from its inventor . Fräulein Doktor herself comes off as interesting and particularly sexy, and her exploits , impacting the fortunes of nations in the high stakes game of WWI espionage . Fraulein Doctor with smouldering allure has relationships with high-ranking military officers, aristocrats , people with influential positions in many countries and even a lesbian romance with a key role , Dr. Saforet (Capucine) . Now she must go behind the enemy lines and get the enemy plans , posing as a nurse but Col. Foreman (Kenneth More) goes afer her . As the German army plans to use the new French mustard-gas on the battlefield during the upcoming German offensive commanded by Ludendorff against the Allied armies and the British secret service attempt to avoid it . Espionage that began with a kiss !The deadliest game of espionage ... where betrayal began with a kiss. Espionage... that begins with a kiss fires the fuse of the poison gas war ! .

Notable warfare movie set in WWI, in which the German intelligence sends a team of saboteurs to Allied headquarters in Belgium to steal the secret Allied defense plans and a female spy to Scotland to kill Lord Kitchener and other dangerous assignments , it contains intrigue , suspense , thrills , emotion and excellent battle scenes . This is a thought-provoking and intelligent war drama perfectly acted by strong cast and masterfully written by great writers as Vittoriano Petrilli (story) , H. A. L. Craig (screenplay) , Stanley Mann (uncredited) , Duilio Coletti (uncredited) and director Albert Lattuada himself . Although the story is inspired on real events , in a Mata Hari-style character , it's mostly a historical fiction , though Fräulein Doktor is loosely based on the life of Elsbeth Schragmüller who died of miliary tuberculosis in 1940 . It depicts a brooding study about spy word and futility as well as insanity of war , making a shattering accusation against the criminal military means by using the lethal mustard gas against the defenceless soldiers in the terrible trenches . Main and support cast deliver stunning performances . As Suzi Kendall gives a nice acting as a German female spy , known as Fraulein Doktor, who is tasked with stealing the new mustard-gas formula from its French female inventor and other misssions . While the support cast is frankly good with plenty of British and Italian actors such as : Nigel Green , Alexander Knox , Capucine , James Booth , Silvia Monti , Mario Novelli and Giancarlo Giannini .

Here stands out the emotive and stirring soundtrack by the great Ennio Morricone , though the initial music on the credit titles is really bizarre , but subsequently goes on his usual style . As well as colorful and evocative cinematography by Luigi Kuveiller, shot on location in Yugoslavia, Hungary and Dino de Laurentiis studios , Rome , Italy . This Italian/Yugoslavian co-production was very well produced by Dino de Laurentiis and competently directed by Alberto Lattuada. This was an Italian neo-realist film director and fully qualified architect. Co-founded the first film library in Italy, prior to working as an assistant to Mario Soldati. As director in his own right became noted for visual style . His subjects were intense dramas , and some often satirical, and others comedies directed against socio-political hipocrisy . He was a prestigious writer and director, known for La Chicharra (1980) , Padre putativo (1974) , Guendalina (1957), Il delitto di Giovanni Episcopo (1947) , Luces de Variete , Ana , La steppa , Il delitto di Giovanni Episcopo , among others . Rating : 7/10. Better than average , Well worth watching .

Two films of the 1960s I want to see in their entirety but as time goes by I don't think I ever will. Those films are Fraulein Doktor(1969) & Sands of the Kalahari(1965), both released by Paramount in the US. I have a reasonably good copy of Kalahari taped off of TV with the expected commercial cuts. But this is not the whole movie. I haven't seen nothing of Fraulein Doktor since I last saw it 25 to 30 years ago and as time goes by memory fades. I remember two scenes in Fraulein Doktor distinctly, the horseback poison gas scene & Suzy Kendall crying her eyes out in the back of a military vehicle after having committed once last deceit and afterward she wanted no more of espionage. Two memorable scenes. I agree with the other posters that the major studios will give a goofy modern joke of a film a wide video release but will completely ignore these gems. If I'm not mistaken neither Fraulein Doktor nor Sands of the Kalahari have had a home video release of any kind be it: Betamax, VHS, 8mm, Laserdisc or DVD. There!, ... five different formats from the last 30 years and these two movies cannot get a home video release of some sorts. There are other films from this era that also have never seen the light of the 'video' day. But time marches on, 40 years now, for the best print materials from films like FD & SotK. It would be a tragedy if we were to lose the best printing sources of these two films(at just 40 yrs) forever if they are not restored for present day audiences to enjoy. We're not talking about silent films, we're talking films that are as recent as 40 years ago. Another poster mentioned the Sicilian Clan(1968) which I saw for the first time a few weeks before 9/11/01. Excellent film and not on video yet either to my knowledge. But the other two films are wonderful and deserve to be on DVD.

It seems more than passing strange that such utter dreck as "Dukes of Hazzard" and "The Hills Have Eyes" (the new version) can find DVD distributors while older - and far superior works such as this film - are nowhere to be found. With all the on-going debate about the morality (or lack thereof) of warfare, and interest in espionage (consider the multiple Jack Ryan, Bourne, XXX, and "Mission: Impossible" productions, this would seem to be an obvious choice for release on DVD. True, it LOOKS like a 1968 motion picture because it IS a 1968 motion picture. But style consideration aside, this is still a production that actually has something valuable to say, and has plenty of plots twists to keep an audience entertained. If nothing else, will SOMEBODY please consider getting the soundtrack onto some kind of CD, whether it be a compilation with other Morricone music or as a stand-alone. I don't know if industry people bother to read what we fans have to say about their products, but if you are reading this and other comments, please take us seriously. We are paying for your lavish homes with our hard-earned dollars spent on tickets, DVDs and CDs - give us what we want! All that said, if you are reading this and have not seen this film, lobby for it's release so you may see what those of us who have seen it are talking about. You will not be disappointed.