IMDb RATING
7.5/10
4.2K
YOUR RATING
At an all-girls boarding school, Manuela falls in love with a teacher, to terrific consequences.At an all-girls boarding school, Manuela falls in love with a teacher, to terrific consequences.At an all-girls boarding school, Manuela falls in love with a teacher, to terrific consequences.
- Awards
- 4 wins total
Hedy Krilla
- Frl. von Kesten
- (as Hedwig Schlichter)
Ellen Schwanneke
- Ilse von Westhagen
- (as Ellen Schwannecke)
Lene Berdolt
- Fräulein von Gaerschner
- (uncredited)
Erika Biebrach
- Lilli von Kattner
- (uncredited)
Margory Bodker
- Miss Evans
- (uncredited)
Else Ehser
- Gardrobiere Elise
- (uncredited)
Marte Hein
- Anstaltsprotektorin
- (uncredited)
Miriam Lehmann-Haupt
- Erzieherin
- (uncredited)
Erika Mann
- Frl. von Atems
- (uncredited)
Barbara Pirk
- Mia von Wollin
- (uncredited)
Ethel Reschke
- Oda von Oldersleben
- (uncredited)
Lisi Scheerbach
- Mademoiselle Qeuillet
- (uncredited)
Doris Thalmer
- Mariechen von Ecke
- (uncredited)
Ilse Vigdor
- Anneliese von Beckendorf
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
I found this film to be both touching and disturbing. Innovative and bold, Madchen in Uniform exposes social taboos in its depiction of lesbianism and teacher-student relationships. Beyond the subject matter, I was impressed with the acting and camera work, which seemed to tell a story all on its own. The quality of the film was certainly poor and the subtitles leave much to question, but the overall effect of the film is poignant. It succeeds in lifting the veil which conceals adolescent female life and without exploiting the budding sexuality of young girls, a phenomenon too often seen in cinema today. It seems strange that this careful balance of exposition and preservation was better kept seventy years ago than it is today. Should this movie be re-made now, one would doubtless see nudity,stereotypical lesbian behavior and exploitation of the relationship between the student and teacher. This film reminds us that a film doesn't have to shock us to be sexually provacative.
Provocative, sensual film that is also daringly (and determinedly) anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment (no surprise that the Nazi regime tried to burn all copies). Because of the way it is made, and the things it is about, it has not aged at all, and never will. Another novelty: an all-female cast (there is not even a male extra), long before Hollywood's "The Women" (1939), with the young girls especially giving naturalistic performances at the dawn of sound cinema. I was sad when this film was over - I wanted more. ***1/2 out of 4.
Even though this film wasn't the most crowd-pleasing one I've seen lately, I think it's a rather important one. The openly lesbian themes of the movie are quite surprising, considering that the movie was made in 1931. The theme of sexual discovery in a girls' boarding school was quite revolutionary for film at the time. It was also an interesting critique of society, and was very anti-fascist. The Prussian principal represents the authoritarian, militaristic aspect of society, while the kind teacher represents a more maternal and loving part. The combination of lesbian themes with that kind character shows us that a more female-dominated society would be a positive change. The Prussian school shows that women are oppressed by patriarchal society into a militaristic machine, and the rebel teacher is a movement away from that. This film is an intriguing view of life right before Hitler. It provides a meaningful glimpse into the lesbian subculture of Berlin before the Nazis came to power.
This was more than a gay classic, this film was a social commentary on the time period it was set in. We all now well know the views held on homosexuality by Hitler's socialist party which was coming into power during the time this movie was made. The entire film foreshadowed many of the things that would happen to people who were not seen as desirable in the eyes of the German government. One part especially, where the students and teachers were forbidden to have contact with Manuela, spoke of the public shunning of Jews and other so-called undesirables who were forbidden contact with other people. Of the three movies that Leontine Sagan directed this was the only one made in Germany. Given the fact that Sagan was of Jewish ancestry and the main theme of this movie was of love between women, it's not hard to see why her career in Germany was short lived.
Did you know
- TriviaThe movie was nearly banned when first released in the United States. It wasn't until the First Lady of the state of New York (at the time) Eleanor Roosevelt saw the importance of the movie that the ban was not implemented.
- Quotes
Fraulein von Bernburg: What you call sins, I call the great spirit of love, in all its forms.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Henry & June (1990)
- SoundtracksDonauwellen Walzer
Music by Iosif Ivanovici
- How long is Mädchen in Uniform?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime
- 1h 28m(88 min)
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.20 : 1
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