JWX

3.9 stars from IMDB users? For shame! I give this film 10 out of 10, and no mistake.

Anyone who doesn't realise this is the ne plus ultra of Heimat films -- with the exception of the Sissi trilogy, another Ernst Marischka Agfacolor bonbon -- doesn't know a thing about cinema, and less about Viennese Burgtheater history.

"Die Deutschmeister" showcases the most talented actors who ever pried a laugh from the hyper-critical Viennese (certainly the most discerning judges of acting talent in all of Europe), a mouthwatering Who's Who of Austrian theatre and film: Susi Nicoletti, Gunther Philipp, Adrienne Gessner, Hans Moser, Josef Meinrad, Paul Hörbiger not to mention Romy Schneider's film debut alongside mama Magda.

This film has not made it to the English-speaking world, and more's the pity -- certainly those in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, South America are not so deprived. It's to the great credit of the translators involved that the pace and hilarity are not compromised in the least, the Portuguese and Castillian-Spanish versions as special standouts. The Viennese accent and slang does not lend itself to translation, partly because of the inherently comedic nature of the accent with it's broad A's and slurred rat-tat-tat speech, but perhaps that's more a credit of the comedic richness of the film, which allows itself to be replicated with a sparkling levity in whatever language.

For those who wish a film capsule, here you are:

Stanzi Hübner, the insouciant be-dirndled Salzburger maiden who believes in fortunes foretold by parrots, comes to the "Kaiserstadt", Vienna, to work for her auntie Therese. She in turn is the Official Croissant Baker of that aged Biedermeier legend, the Emperor Franz Josef: a job of importance in this croissant-conscious capital. Now there's a mouthful.

In one of the twists of fate so adored and duplicated a million-fold by Austrian storytellers, she is confused by a Tourette's Syndromed nobleman as a Countess in a Fasching dance, and he later enters into matrimony sight unseen with a real Countess, who merely had the infinite good fortune of living in the general neighbourhood of Stanzi's aunt.

Stanzi then meets a young would-be composer soldier in Die Deutschmeister regiment, and whilst her own romance is flourishing, she engineers her aunt's flirtation with a courtier whose sole duty seems to be "Official Picker-Upper of the Daily Imperial Croissant". No doubt his title is more grandiose on paper.

For those who wish a highlighted critique, here it is:

Watch the light interplay between Susi Nicoletti, Adrienne Gessner, and Gunther Philipp and then tell us this film isn't worthy of Tracy and Hepburn at their peak. Only when you've acted together more times than they have, do you mistake absolute mastery of their craft for anything less than what it is.

If you want a frisky gambol in the best tradition of Viennese light comedy, this my friends, is your film.

All past comments about this notorious film have been proved correct: it IS rancid, fetid, despicable. The reasons why this film was made are equally above-board: Nazi Germany's number one goal was to descredit Jews the world over by propanganda so vile as to make the average person denounce Jews as vermin to be exterminated. It is said that when _Jud Suess_ was shown, crowds of people would set themselves wildly on Jews in the streets. That Veit Harlan, who as an actor and artist always showed a certain elegance, should have anything to do with this film (and as the director he had quite a lot to do with it), is amazing. One cannot forget that being assigned films had more to do with commands than with choice; nevertheless, he should have been leery of the project that was said to vie with _Der Ewige Jude_ as the start of the campaign of racial genocide.

A final tip when viewing _Jud Suess_: Pay close attention to Ferdinand Marian's diabolical portrayal of Suess Oppenheimer. In mannerisms, the easy refinity, the worldliness, the dropping of a bon mot, the wily insouciance of the "Jew" of yesteryears' imagination; it is all caught on celluloid Agfa film. Ferdinand Marian later committed suicide, said to be because of his remorse about his "greatest" acting role.

For reasons I cannot quite fathom, this movie is one of my parents' favourites. Indeed, if the mid-to-late sixties is a fond memory for you, you might reminisce just how spankingly naughty the decade seemed...to you.

From Peter Sellars being (well) Peter Sellars -- that is on some planet known only to his dear self, R.I.P. -- as a sexually-oppressed (repressed being too obvious) psychiatrist whose wife is busy cuckolding him, whose patient (Peter O'Toole) is doing the same with Capucine, but who is affianced to Romy Schneider (oy! between this and "Good Neighbour Sam", thank goodness she didn't do too many English-language comedies). Meanwhile, Woody Allen is doing his best gosh-darned Jerry Lewis-wants-to-be-Hugh- Hefner impersonation.

Of course, in for a penny, in for a pound -- if you've begun to see it, stick around for the go-cart chasing end, with Helga-of-the-Viking-pigtails as an unforgettable memory. I am sure my parents had fun in the sixties. But I cannot fathom why "What's New, Pussycat" had anything to do with it.

N.B. In Germany, this film is called "Was gibt's, Pussy?", which is exactly as it should be.