Magical musical with Sonja Ziemann and Helmut Griem
This almost forgotten film by Helmut Käutner is a real discovery! A true movie diamond! Produced in the Berlin CCC studios by the famous Ilse Kubaschewski!
Lieschen Müller (Sonja Ziemann) is a small bank employee in some small German town. One day, not really satisfied with her current life, she receives an offer from an important customer (Martin Held) to accompany him on a business trip to the Mediterranean. She immediately dreams of a new existence as a rich heiress and reveals her most secret desires...
Nothing more about the plot should be revealed; everyone should be able to discover that for themselves. Because the way this West German musical is designed is so beautiful and imaginative that it is a real joy. The story (screenplay: Willibald Eser and Käutner himself) is reminiscent of Federico Fellini's masterpiece "Giulietta degli spiriti" (1965), the dances and animations do not need to shy away from comparison with "Mary Poppins" (1964). Mind you! Both films mentioned were made years after Käutner's stroke of genius!
And then the actors! In "Nacht fiel über Gotenhafen / Darkness fell on Gotenhafen" (1959), Sonja Ziemann (1926-2020) had long since outgrown the image as a "Schwarzwaldmädel / Black Forest girl" (1950). Here she outdoes herself once again. Radiantly beautiful and full of joy to play! At her side as an attractive ice cream seller from Denmark: the great Helmut Griem (1932-2004, Cabaret / Ansichten eines Clowns (Views of a Clown) / Peter the Great) dances, sings and plays to make you jealous.
EUROVISION Star Cornelia Froboess impresses as little sister Anni Müller, who has never been seen before in this film. Peter Weck (Ich heirate eine Familie / I'm Marrying a Family) plays her fiancé. Georg Thomalla, Wolfgang Neuss, Karl Schönböck and the later Edgar Wallace star Ilse Page can be seen in other roles.
The fascinating solo dancers in the film are Konstanze Vernon, Gene Reed and John Schapar. The technical crafts also have to be mentioned for good reason: Karl Ludwig Rappel and Horst Schier for the sound effects, Flo Nordhoff for the enchanting animation.
By the way, superstars Ruth Leuwerik, Hardy Krüger and Walter Giller make wonderful cameo appearances as autograph hunters. Great!
Why has this fantastic film been so forgotten and only shown on television (Sat 1, 1990)? Probably because he was simply years ahead of his time (and his audience) and at the same time was far too close to an audience that didn't want to see themselves portrayed that way. This musical reflects the real lives and dreams of those who were in their twenties in 1961. And this unusual film is very accurate, probably too accurate!
This is also supported by the fact that in 1962 Helmut Käutner was awarded the Young Film Critics' Prize for the worst performance by a well-known director at the Oberhausen Short Film Festival. This questionable award referred to "Lieschen Müller" (729,000 cinema tickets sold) and "Schwarzer Kies" (2,849,000 tickets), both absolute masterpieces of the Federal Republic film industry that should definitely be seen again! The fact that a master director like ACADEMY AWARD nominee Helmut Käutner was so misunderstood was a big mistake for young German films. It's a shame about this missed opportunity!
But no matter what happened in the past: film fans simply shouldn't miss this film, this enchanting musical in German!
Absolute recommendation!
