Jeunes filles en uniforme

Before watching "Mädchen in Uniform" I knew Romy Schneider only as "Sissi" and had absolutely no clue who Lilli Palmer was. First, I was suspicious: A German movie from the fifties? Should be another ridiculous comedy with a lot of colourful pictures and "funny" music. But what a surprise the drama was!

First of all: It was very courageous. If you think at the time the movie was shot in I find it courageus to make a drama about homosexuality and furthermore about a forbidden passion between a teacher and a student.

And then of course: Romy Schneider. In her young years she is best known for such ridiculous films as "Sissi" or "Wenn der weiße Flieder wieder blüht". But "Mädchen in Uniform" is the most remarkable one. There she shows: I am much more and more serious than you think and I am not just a nice little girl always looking pretty, lovely and smiling into the camera. I think, after she made this movie it was clear that she would make a great career because she is a gifted, exceptional actress.

And of course Lilli Palmer: Beautiful, proud, very lady-like, elegant and full of seriousness but very young at the same time. I'm out of words if it comes to describing her talent. But I think, you all agree if I say that she is one of the greatest German actresses.

A great movie, definetely one of the most important German dramas od the fifties and always worth remembering and watching it over and over again. Besides: There is some good taste of humour in it.

As a remake of the 1931 film, 'Mädchen in uniform' largely echoes its antecedent - the same broad story beats and dialogue, a similarly austere interior setting. There are also distinct differences though, presumably bolstered by a larger budget. The narrative and characters are slightly more developed, and some aspects are altered to make this 1958 rendition the film-makers' own. We get exterior scenes, and a wardrobe - while still pointedly drab - that seems more carefully considered. The mere fact of being a color film, with more advanced equipment, means the image is more sharp and clear, revealing greater detail, and the technical craft that was somewhat inconsistent before is realized with no small clarity here.

The same themes present in this tightly regimented boarding school, but perhaps with a marginally different slant. Where dialogue in the 1931 film spoke of "ennoblement" through the cruelty of school policies, in this version, the headmistress hypocritically emphasizes dissolution of her charges' agency. "I'm not a believer in a child's right to be an individual," she says, amidst additional dialogue asserting that the girls' only purpose is to become good wives of husbands and mothers of soldiers. Still, this is more for flavor - the feature is focused less on thematic content and more on narrative progression.

While the cast of 1931's 'Mädchen in uniform' was quite fine, the greatest character writing was devoted to those few most prominent figures, and only the most prominent actors were able to demonstrate their skill. The 1958 screenplay lends greater personality to more supporting characters, and great personality to the primary roles, too. Lilli Palmer carries noteworthy matronly poise as Fräulein Elisabeth von Bernburg, perhaps more evenhanded than Dorothea Wieck in the 1931 version. Romy Schneider, as Manuela, matches the nuance and emotive range of Hertha Thiele, if anything leaning even further into the most bombastic aspects of the protagonist.

The end result is a picture that largely reflects its established forebear, yet is sufficiently different from its predecessor, and still of a high quality, to merit consideration even with that familiarity. There are elements that are stronger in 1958 than they were in 1931, and other elements that are perhaps weaker. I don't think one film is wholly better than the other, and it all comes down to personal preference. Either way, just as the earlier film was enjoyable, 1958's 'Mädchen in uniform' is a fine, entertaining feature, worth checking out if you come across it.

I have no summary for the movie; I think the persons above me have already summarized it. I just wanted to say that this movie really touched me and that I disagree with some of the comments about Lily Palmer and Romy Schneider not doing a good job on this movie. I was really impressed by the way they acted and I was really pulled into the movie. There is no need for beautiful sets or great effects around it if the actors do such a good job! You could really see how Lily Palmer portrayed a woman who wanted to help but also had to be firm in a way to stay at the school. And also how Romy Schneider portrayed her role as such an innocent and vulnerable child who has just lost her mother and her struggles with this.

'It's a Romy Schneider film!', my mum said happily when she read the announcement in her TV guide. It is indeed, but I didn't quite dare inform my mum of the contents, seeing as she knew Romy only by the Sissi films. I love this film. I immediately fell in love with Lilli Palmer. Perhaps not as important or shocking as the 1931 version (yes, I have seen it) but still an interesting film. I especially like the outdoors shots in this film. The scene where Fräulein Von Bernburg gives Manuela one of her own shirts is lovely. I understood Romy Schneider was attempting to lose her Sissi image at the time. She succeeded in my opinion. My mum was somewhat surprised after watching it, but in the end she decided she liked it after all. So do I. Seven points out of ten.

In the endless row of remakes in the 50's of successes of the 20' and 30's this one may have been the oddest. What is basically a harsh, sensitive but never sentimental play, qualities that remained in the remarkable film version of 1931, has become a trivial drama. It starts with the credits; in it it is stated that the film is based on a play by Winsloe called "Rittter Nerestani"; this original title was already obsolete at the Berlin premiere and changed into "Gestern und Morgen", thereby stressing the object of the play: a plea for a more liberal society. But in the 50's German society of Adenauer's credo "No experiments" this plea was not possible.

Some odd changes have been made vis-à-vis the play and the film version of 1931. The character of Von Kenten, symbol of the fear for authority, has been replaced by a nondescript character who hates Elisabeth von Bernburg; why she hates her, is not made clear at all. Frau Oberin was changed from a symbol of Prussian authority into a bitter old lady who is only the way she is, because she had some bitter experiences in life. The scandal that arises when Manuela is drunk and speaks out, is brought about by petty jealousy of one of the girls (Alexandra). Noteworthy is also that, when Ilse is banned from partaking in Romeo and Juliet, she cheerfully helps another girl to learn the part, in stead of, as in the 1931 version, packing her suitcase to leave the institution; in other words: hardly any rebellion here. The reconciliation near the end is just silly. What this all amounts to is that the play in this adaptation is melodrama. However, unlike some critics, I do not think the lesbian theme is further toned-down, it is simply represented in another way to be acceptable to an 1950's mainstream audience.

There is nothing against an stirring melodrama, but also in this department the film fails. That is: Radvanyi's direction is adequate but without inspiration. At moments he tries to give scenes extra strength with shadows and light (there is a nice shot of Schneider in the dark on her bed), but it is not sufficient. He is not helped much by the two leading actresses. Romy Schneider has her moments (her first serious part after the Sissi-series), but in general fails to convey any emotion and she surely plays quite another Manuela than Hertha Thiele in the 1931 version. Lilli Palmer, who thought she could do anything, is a terrible mis-cast as Von Bernburg: she is not the woman in her mid-20's having trouble with her emotions. All scenes between Schneider and Palmer miss spark.