Nebbie del passato

Unlike many 1940s movies, this film came from over with crisp dialogue so I did not have to turn the volume control up to listen to the screenplay.Even my wife noticed it had good sound production standards.Guy Rolfe an army officer in 1946, to kill time sees a portrait in a forces art gallery and makes the acquaintance there of the Jewish father of the girl posing for it, (Mai Zetterling).As he has just been jilted, he has time on his hands as the army has given him temporary leave from his army job in Hannover, Germany.

Fascinated by the portrait, he sets out to find the girl from the masses of "DPs" (displaced persons) in Europe who were stateless at the end of WW11 and placed in special camps by the allies.I also liked hearing authentic German spoken by the cast which included Herbert Lom at the beginning of his film career.As there is a surprise ending I will draw a veil over my comments so as not to provide a spoiler.A good production which held my interest to the end.7/10

Main Zetterling despite being 24 convinces as an 18 year old girl in a displaced persons camp.Also very prominent at the beginning of a long are errors.He is Herbert Lom.Lots of other familiar faces at the beginning of their new post war careers.This film is of historical interest now,showing how people were trying to sort themselves out after the war.

My partner and her mother were extras in this film , although she seems to think it was originally called "portrait of Hildgaard".It was filmed near to us at a place between Lepe Beach and Langly near Southampton England. The scene was filmed at a disused army camp.

If anyone has a copy of this film on VHS video we would be interested to hear from you.

Guy Rolfe, plays an army officer, on leave from occupied Germany, who visits an art gallery and is immediately captivated by the image of a young girl who he sees in a painting. The young girl's father, who happens to be a Jewish professor, realises Rolfe's interest, which prompts him to tell him that the girl in the picture is his daughter, who he hasn't seen since they were both incarcerated in different German concentration camps. Rolfe makes it his mission to see if he locate the missing girl when he flies back to Germany after his leave had expired. Strong performances from Guy Rolfe, Herbert Lom playing the sinister 'alleged' father of the girl in the picture and Mai Zetterling as the 'missing girl.' The film has a very involved storyline which constantly twists and turns, but sometimes rather too much, with the result that's easy to lose attention. Nevertheless, the acting is top notch, and watching Herbert Lom and Mai Zetterling is always a joy. It's also a worthy film since it highlights the problems of liberated prisoners of war and refugees who are trying to rebuild their relationships as well as their lives in the immediate aftermath of WW2. Summary: Interesting and well acted drama

Great movie with expert direction from Terence Fisher. I appreciated how the narration was interjected by Guy Rolfe at the appropriate times in the film giving the viewer deeper understanding. Rolfe, Albert Marle (the Professor), and Herbert Lom are standouts and Mai Zetterling was radiant. Excellent suspense with a very moving ending. The storyline itself is rote - the search for a missing child after WW2 - but the telling of the story itself is wonderful. Not to be missed.