Le chant du bonheur

A by Catholicism and false sentimentality inspired, by Franz Antel directed Heimatfilm: could the premise ever be less promising? At the start of the film Sabine Bethmann tries to commit suicide by jumping into a river, probably as she was already aware what kind of film she was getting involved in (it can not be that she had that much grieve over Rudolf Prack?).

She should have been left alone, but unfortunately priest Hans Holt comes along and saves her from drowning; now the film has to continue. For the next half hour she is mum, which is understandable as she has now to face the Vienna Boy's Choir that tries to help her in refusing to shut up; she also has to deal with the unavoidable Heimatfilm lover (that's a laugh) Rudolf Prack and with our priest who gets to close to her for Catholic comfort. But not to worry, the Franz Antel was assisted by an advisor from the Catholic Church, and thus the priest is never allowed to get too close.

The soul of Sabine Bethmann may have been saved, but did the makers ever think about the soul of the viewer? (3/10)

I consider this movie a document of where we (in the western world) come from. A soap with real moments. Sentimental - of course. But we get quite a few glimpses of bygone times that really existed whether one likes it or not. I should know because it was the world I grew up in. The story is absolutely standard: man meets girl, misunderstandings, separation, desperation, reconciliation. Doesn't this cover at least 50% of all stories being told? Sabine Bethmann has a beautiful face (her character doesn't require too much acting), Paul Hörbiger shows nice presence. No, it's certainly not a great movie. I liked: the office and workplace scenes; the Wiener Sängerknaben; "Good night" on the staircase (they did not sleep in one room); the factory owner's daughter - almost contemporary; the women's looks - none of them skinny; the abbot's reason for smoking - it helps against the lice. If you're not afraid of sentimentality, this movie will provide you with some - anthropological, historical - insight.