The Frog King (1954)

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Movie
Original title The Frog Prince
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1954
length 87 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Otto Meyer
script Emil Surmann
production Bernhard F. Schmidt
for Film GmbH, Berlin
music Norbert Schultze
camera Willi Kuhle
cut Heinz Haber
occupation

Der Froschkönig is a German fairy tale film by Otto Meyer from 1954. It is based on the fairy tale Der Froschkönig or Iron Heinrich and is provided with musical contributions. The main roles are cast with Olga Limburg as Queen Mother, Stanislav Ledinek as King, Dorothea Wieck as Princess Than, Marion Elisabeth Degler , Siglinde König and Ruth Nimbach as the three princesses, Hans Kwiet as Prince Edelmut and Franz Nicklisch as the loyal servant Heinrich.

The German first broadcast of the black and white production took place on December 25, 1954.

action

Prince Edelmut's seriously ill father decrees that his son should take over the official business from the age of 21 and that the servant Heinrich must remain loyal to his side as long as he is. In order to save the life of his dying father, Prince Edelmut wants to obtain a magic potion that Princess Than has. Since she is known as an evil fairy, his father warns him not to put himself in unnecessary danger. Nevertheless, the prince rides off, but is rejected by the princess, who refuses to help him. When he doesn't give in and touches her, she turns him into a frog. Servant Heinrich, who then begs the princess to transform his prince back, is also rejected. The princess only announces that the prince can only be redeemed by a good, virtuous human child and by a kiss.

Princess Susanne is celebrating her sixteenth birthday in a nearby kingdom. Among her presents is a game that her old servant Johann has come up with. This is a catching cup with which you throw a ball into the air and then have to catch it again. Her father, the king, gave her a golden ball especially for it. When she tried the game in the park, she heard cries for help near the castle pond. But none of their servants can hear the voice. So they worry about the state of health of the princess and her sisters also find Susanne's behavior quite strange. To be on the safe side, the king has his daughter examined by his court doctor, who, however, cannot find anything and suggests putting her under observation. When the princess was playing at the castle pond again the next day and heard the calls for help again, she discovered a frog and was worried about his life, as she could also spot a snake. But since no one else heard the voice, one increasingly doubts the princess's mental state. The old servant Johann, however, knows the story of Prince Edelmut, who is said to have been turned into a frog five years ago. He tells his grandson, who works as a page in the castle. They are overheard by Peter, another page, who tells Princess Sieglinde about it. She is very eager to redeem Prince Nobility and so she goes down to the lake that night. But her sister Sophie also finds out about it and also wants to go to the lake. Calling for the frog, the sisters hear each other and each mistake the other for the enchanted prince. In doing so, they get caught in the stinking quagmire and return to the castle wailing.

The next day Princess Susanne is again at the lake with her new game, the golden ball falls into the water and while she is still thinking about how to get it out of the deep water, she hears another voice that says: “I can Help you, royal child, I can help you. ”Then she discovers the frog who promises her to fetch the ball from the deep lake if she will kiss him, he will be her playmate, eat from her plate and drink from her mug . The princess agrees to the terms.

Both servant Johann and page Philipp were at the lake, but they could not hear the voice, nevertheless Johann is convinced that this frog is prince nobleness and so he makes a small crown for him, which he puts on him as the frog actually appears in the castle to claim his wages. Arriving in front of the stately room, he calls out: “King's daughter, youngest, open for me!” At first Princess Susanne hesitates, but when her father explains to her that promises have to be kept, she opens the door and lets him in. Her two older sisters, however, are outraged by the disgusting guest at her table, who now asks to eat from the princess's plate and to be allowed to drink from her mug. When she wanted to go to her room with him, the frog suddenly disappeared. But Johann has kept it safe and brings it to Susanne, who now keeps her last promise and kisses the frog. The beast then transforms back into the young prince, who thanks the servants for protecting him so well. Then he thanks the king and asks for the hand of his youngest daughter. But first he wants to go back to his kingdom. He'll be back to marry Princess Susanne in about a week, he says.

After nine days, the servant Heinrich appears and announces the coming of his master, who asks Princess Susanne into his carriage and, together with her servants Johann and Philipp, returns to his kingdom, where the wedding is to take place. On the way there, the prince is startled by a violent noise, so that he exclaims: "Heinrich, the car breaks". But the servant replies: "No, Lord, there is a ribbon from my heart", because five years ago he had three iron ribbons forged around his chest so that he:

  • does not give in to the urging of the Councilor to find a new ruler for the kingdom
  • can bear his pain at the loss of his beloved prince
  • does not forget his promise to the king

The whole thing happens twice more, until the last tape also reveals the chest of the faithful servant Heinrich.

Production notes

The film was produced in a makeshift studio in Charlottenburg Palace . The exterior shots were taken in the Charlottenburg Palace Park . Karl Vollbrecht created the buildings, producer Bernhard F. Schmidt was also the production manager.

Difference to other films

The black and white production is accompanied by musical contributions, for example Page Philipp, as a minstrel, introduces the story as a ballad in a chant. Further songs by the princess and the court guard follow.

The main part of the film adaptation deals with life at the princess’s court and how the servants try to determine whether there are really cries for help at the lake or whether her princess is confused. All frog scenes are represented by a real frog.

reception

criticism

"The Grimm fairy tale in a child-friendly and dramatically remarkable 50s version."

- Lexicon of international film

Award

  • Predicate valuable from the FBL

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Length of the film at maerchenfilm.net, accessed on February 23, 2015.
  2. ↑ Age rating at berlinien.de, accessed on February 23, 2015.
  3. ↑ First broadcast, see Internet Movie Database page , accessed on February 23, 2015.
  4. ↑ Dr. Alfred Bauer: German feature film Almanach. Volume 2: 1946-1955 , p. 414
  5. ↑ The Frog King. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used