The Defiant Head (1983)

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Television series
Original title The defiant head
Country of production Federal Republic of Germany ,
Austria
original language German
year 1983
length 25 minutes
Episodes 8 in 1 season
genre Historical youth and family series
First broadcast August 1, 1983 on German television
occupation

The Defiant Head is an eight-part German-Austrian youth and family television series by director Helmuth Ashley from 1983 with Anja Schüte in the leading role. The novel of the same name by the writer Emmy von Rhoden and its sequel to Trotskopf's Bridal Period by Else Wildhagen served as a template . The script was written by Rudolf Nottebohm and Irene Rodrian , the music was composed by Martin Böttcher . The first broadcast of the co-production by Bayerischer Rundfunk with Infafilm GmbH Munich and Österreichischer Rundfunk ran on German television from August 1, 1983 .

action

At the end of the 19th century: Sixteen-year-old Ilse Macket lives with her father and stepmother on an estate. Ilse is a wild, fun-loving girl who has nothing in her head. She climbs trees, rides bareback, romps with the dogs and keeps a tree frog in a glass in her room. Her father is very indulgent in his upbringing and so Ilse often defies his orders, gives her stepmother cheeky answers and reacts defiantly when she is unable to get her way through.

At the suggestion of pastor Wollert, who is friends, they register their parents with Miss Raimar's girls' boarding school on July 1st . Once there, Ilse is laughed at by the other students on the first day because of her bad table manners. She also soon notices that the other girls are much more educated and skilled. Ilse gets very homesick and would like to leave immediately. During this difficult time, her English roommate Ellinor Gray, known as "Nellie", is with her and the two become friends. Ilse also finds a confidante in her teacher, Fraulein Güssow.

When Ilse is reprimanded by Fraulein Raimar for her sloppy knitting in the needlework lesson, Ilse reacts with a fit of anger and risks being expelled from boarding school. Fräulein Güssow then tells Ilse about her own life story. She was very much like Ilse and because she was too proud she lost the man she once loved. Left on her own, she therefore had to accept the position of teacher. Fraulein Güssow's fate inspires Ilse to apologize to Fraulein Raimar and to change her defiant behavior. From now on she succeeds better and better in adhering to the strict rules of the boarding school. Shortly before Christmas, little Lili comes to the boarding school and is especially taken by Ilse in the heart. Shortly thereafter, Lili fell ill with meningitis and died. Ilse is inconsolable and Nellie stands by her again.

The year in the boarding school is drawing to a close and Ilse has to say goodbye to her friends Nellie, Orla, Flora and Rosi. On the way home, Ilse made a stopover at the Gontrau district administrators and met their son Leo. The two fall in love. Back at the Mackets estate, Ilse meets her little brother, who has since been born. Her parents are amazed that their wild daughter has become a young lady. The Mackets celebrate Thanksgiving with the Gontraus, and Ilse and Leo take the opportunity to announce their engagement. However, the young couple soon got into a heated argument. Leo expects Ilse to submit to the social obligations of a civil servant's wife. Ilse therefore believes that Leo does not love her. Furious, she packs her bags and travels to Nellie, who is now with her former German teacher Dr. Althoff is married and lives in Fürstenberg. Flora and Rosi also live nearby with their husbands, who are both under the slipper of their wives, and Ilse is happy to see her friends again.

Only Nellie confides the real reason for her visit. Nellie thinks it's best that Ilse go back to Leo and talk to him, but she lets Ilse live with her for as long as she wants. Through a telegram from Dr. Althoff, the Mackets and Leo learn that Ilse is with Nellie. Ilse's father wants to go to Fürstenberg with Leo immediately, but Leo does not want to take the first step this time and let Ilse decide whether she will return to him. When Ilse had an argument between Nellie and Dr. Having witnessed Althoff, she cannot understand how Nellie can allow her husband to treat her like that. Nellie, however, understands her husband and explains to Ilse that in a marriage you have to support each other and be there for each other. But although Ilse is unhappy and misses Leo, she is still too proud to write to him.

At a reception from Flora, Ilse and Nellie meet their school friend Orla, who is about to start studying medicine. In addition, Ilse learns Dr. Andres know and it turns out he's a college friend of Leo. Without knowing that Ilse is Leo's fiancée, Dr. Andres that he could not imagine Leo as an honest husband, since he has already courted many women. Ilse reacts offended. Soon afterwards, the company meets again for a sleigh ride on which Orla and Dr. Andres come closer. During the subsequent drinking of punch in the Althoff's house, Ilse has to fend off the advances of the unsympathetic and intrusive Mr. Lüders. Then she breaks down crying in front of Nellie and Orla and confesses to them that she loves Leo. On the advice of her friends, Ilse finally goes to Leo and asks his forgiveness. The following summer, the two married with their families and friends. Fraulein Raimar and Fraulein Güssow are also among the guests.

Episode list

The 25-minute episodes were first broadcast every Monday at 5:20 p.m. on ARD. The eight episodes were later shown on television as a two-part film.

episode title First broadcast
1 farewell August 1, 1983
2 Homesickness August 8, 1983
3 The ghost August 15, 1983
4th Little Lili 22nd August 1983
5 First love August 29, 1983
6th engagement 5th September 1983
7th separation September 12, 1983
8th wedding September 19, 1983

Background information

Filming began in 1981 in and around Munich. Blumenthal Castle near Aichach served as the backdrop for the Mackets estate and the wedding . The outdoor scenes that are supposed to take place in the town of Fürstenberg were shot in Rothenburg ob der Tauber . Schönborn Castle in Lower Austria served as the location for the girls' boarding school. Production was completed in 1982.

Anja Schüte was best known for the feature film Zärtliche Cousinen (1980). With The Defiant Head she achieved her final breakthrough as a television actress. The actress Emely Reuer , who played Ilse's stepmother in the series, was in a relationship with the director Helmuth Ashley and died shortly after the shooting.

The English actress Linda Joy spoke in her role as Nellie during her time in the boarding school with a strong English accent and the script made her commit many linguistic errors ("I bite apples"). In reality, Joy speaks almost perfect German because she grew up in Austria.

Literature templates and DVD

The novels have been published by several publishers (selection):

On June 28, 2004, the television series was released on a double DVD in stores.

Web links