Frida l'amante straniera

1947 was not an easy year. In fact, the British and the world was still recovering from World War II. This film probably raised a lot of eyebrows and concern. Germany was still the enemy and Frieda played beautifully by Swedish newcomer, Mai Zetterling, should have been honored with nominations for her performance. Frieda is not well liked because she is German so you're not going to trust a German girl in the first place. Anyway, I imagine how it was first released to the British public after a brutal war and the rebuilding of the damage done by the blitz. Anyway, I can imagine audience members not being welcoming to Frieda but she is somebody we grow to understand. It's not her fault that's she's German anymore that I'm an American. She grows on you because she is somebody we can like but I think that's part of the problem. We see her only flaw as being German and not much else. Anyway, Mai Zetterling performs well and should have been honored with a nomination or two for being the star of the film.

Intelligent British post-war drama focusing on the problems of assimilation of Germans in the UK during, and in the wake of, WWII. Mai Zetterling is the German girl whom RAF pilot David Farrar marries out of gratitude and duty after she helps him escape the Nazis. Upon their return to his home town however she is met by mistrust and prejudice from the unlikeliest sources. The strong storyline is weakened somewhat by the eventual appearance of Zetterling's brother, whose eyes bulge fanatically whenever the word 'Nazi' is mentioned. The central theme is as relevant today as it was back in the 1940s

By today's standards the acting looks a little dated as the characters come across as somewhat dour & rather too well mannered & polite. Today, in films we are bombarded with characters who have shovelfuls of attitude, aggression and cynicism. Today's film makers make no effort to hide feelings and emotions, but in 1947, it was still customary to keep a stiff upper lip, be courteous and behave at all times with decorum, which indeed this film exemplifies. The storyline is set in a rural, middle class family home, where social graces are still rigidly observed. The film throws an interesting light, not just on the niceties of middle class family life, but also on how patriotic and war weary citizens react to a young German woman being thrust into their midst. David Farrar, as Robert, is faced with a moral dilemma when he decides to do the 'decent' thing and marry Mai Zetterling, who helped him escape from Germany. The slow pace of the film is not to everyone's liking, but nevertheless the film, 'Frieda' gives the excellent cast sufficient time and space to portray believable characters and for the director to build a solid narrative. Although dull at times, I have given it a 7 out of 10, since it gives the modern day film buff the opportunity to see no nonsense quality acting without any frills.

Though one of the reviewer has mentioned it to be dated, but is it really ? The racial prejudice - though used destructively by Nazis, existed during and even earlier, not only there, but elsewhere too- the Camping of Japanese (and the use of Vermin for them were a proof of it), even those who were citizens for generations, in USA, the treatment of Gypsies, the fate of the indigenous tribes every where - Maories, Amerindians, Dark-skinned persons,... and it continues even today. The people are still considered equal - or inferior - based on the skin and race. So one really can't call it dated. The mind-set of Nell is very common even today, and the others - are accessory, by compliance/ silence.

In the story, the heroine (Frieda's) parents were killed in allied bombing - and that well could have been by her love's brother, Alan, who was shot down while bombing the city. But that part of sympathy was missing - that of course isn't by error - may be even deliberate - the psychology of people to overlook the loss of "Others" even when that had been caused directly by "Us". The movie is about the girl, who has sacrificed everything to protect the man she loved (who didn't, at least initially), and her travails - in enemy domain, where she is racially prejudiced by all, and even the circumstances force her man to turn against her - forcing her to opt for divorce Italian (or catholic) style.

There was only one weakness in the narrative - Frieda's brother - his attitude was not normal. He was totally brainwashed Nazi, on that aspect I don't have complain, but he definitely can't make his innocent sister (that too, the only one left in the family) a sacrifice at the alter, and that too through false implications. In fact any brother, however ideologically blinded he might be, he would try to shield his kid sibling. The attitude of all others were explainable. Robert batted for Frieda - till he got irrefutable proof of her complicity - from her own brother. Nell was blindly prejudiced. The widowed sister in law, Judy wanted him for herself, and that was actively supported by all the family. Who, though not so much racially prejudiced as Nell, still were to quite some extent, probably due to the human losses suffered in the family - Robert and his step-brother were the only surviving - I wonder what happened to his step-father though.

Despite the semi-melodramatic presentation, it is worth a watch, to look at our own contemporary society, and reflect, aren't we all still in those ages and mind-set ? Aren't we still saying, as the woman remonstrated at registration office against "Giving out rations to a German girl" and "Soon we would be feeding the whole nation" .

This film was made in 1947 when this country was just coming to terms with the fact that it would have to live with the new Germany.The film does not take into account the fact that there were already thousands of German refugees in this country who had fled Nazi persecution.For example in the film industry there were actors such as Conrad Veidt and technicians such as Mutz Greenbaum.Therefore what only seems to have been considered by this film are bad Germans,as played by Albert Levien and the passive German as played by Swede,Mai Zetterling.So what is ignored are the millions of Germans who did oppose Hitler,the social democrats and communists who were thrown in concentration camps.I felt that Levien's revelation as a nasty Nazi was rather over dramatic and rather spoiled the balance of the film.I also wonder what audiences of the time would have made of the newsreel of Belsen concentration camp shown when the couple are in the cinema.very thought provoking.