Die Mädels vom Immenhof

This classic of the West German film industry of the 1950s can still be seen regularly on German-language television programs today. Based on the novel DICK UND DALLI UND DIE PONIES by Ursula BRUN, the story is about a pony farm not far from the Holstein Lake District.

The girls Dick (Angelika MEISSNER) and Dalli (Heidi BRÜHL) live with their older sister Angela (Christiane KÖNIG) on the pony farm owned by Grandma Jantzen (Margarete HAAGEN), who is kind-hearted but has terrible money problems. Perhaps the dashing neighbor (Paul KLINGER), who is courting the beautiful Angela, can help out? Things come to a head when the spoiled Ethelbert (Matthias FUCHS) from the big city messes things up at Immenhof...

Beautiful images from northern Germany, singing children and cute ponies: an evergreen film classic was ready. The events behind the scenes are certainly more interesting than the plot. When Christiane KÖNIG fended off the advances of producer Gero WECKER from ARCA FILM, she lost her role in the sequel to the Immenhof series. Instead, Paul Klinger was able to get his own wife Karin ANDERSEN to replace Angela. The West German film industry also had its very early #MeToo cases, of course.

Heidi BRÜHL (1942 - 1991) began her impressive career with this film. With her songs WIR WOLLEN NIEMALS AUSEINANDERGEHN (1960, preliminary round only) and MARCEL (1963), she later wrote herself into the eventful history of the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST. In the 1970s, she had her own show in Las Vegas and, as an adult, made two more Immenhof films.

Every genre has its own classics. This is part 1 of the so-called "Immenhof series", a cult "Happy holiday in the Heimat" series with 4 (!) sequels. This first part is by far the best with a decent script and attentive direction by Wolfgang Schleif.

Do not expect too much of the story. It has the standard ingredients like the the arrogant city boy getting his come-uppance on the pony range and the financial trouble the owner of the range is in. But the film has a jolly atmosphere, nice scenery and a cast who has fun. Cast include the young Heidi Brühl and the bit older Angelika Meisner (my favourite young girl of the 50's German cinema),who are both fine to watch. The older generation is represented by good routinists Margarete Haacke and Paul Henckels.

The film (and its 4 sequels) can now be seen with the original colours restored.

In all fairness, the 'Immenhof' trilogy is nothing but a bit of fluff, held together by the youthful exuberance of Heidi Brühl and Angelika Meissner. On the other hand, they are handsomely mounted horse operas, German style. The horses are just ponies, the Wild West of Germany turns out to be the so called Holsteiner Schweiz in Schleswig-Holstein (the entire show was filmed on Gut Rothensande near Malente, one of Germany's most charming and beautiful landscape, with some scene shot in the famous city of Lübeck, still heavily destroyed by air-raids, the tower of St. Petri church still in ruins) but who cares with such charming young ladies in the lead? Even a few songs (not very good, alas) are thrown in.

Some veteran actors bring substance to the silly going-ons, there is some mild romance, some very mild profanity, but nothing that might offend Aunt Augusta. Pure fun for the whole family and a prime example of the long neglected Heimatfilm genre.

Frequently shown on German TV the original films are warmly loved by their fans.