The witch (1954)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | The witch |
| Country of production | Federal Republic of Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 1954 |
| length | 97 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Gustav Ucicky |
| script |
Emil Burri Johannes Mario Simmel |
| production | Capitol-Film GmbH, Berlin |
| music | Bert reason |
| camera | Hans Schneeberger |
| cut | Carl Otto Bartning |
| occupation | |
| |
The Witch is a German drama film from 1954 directed by Gustav Ucicky . The main roles are cast with Anita Björk and Karlheinz Böhm as well as Attila Hörbiger . The screenplay by Emil Burri and Johannes Mario Simmel is based on the novel of the same name by Fred Andreas .
action
“This film tells a true story that some forty years ago excited the governments of several European countries. Our story begins in July 1902 ":
A train arrives in Gaisfeld. The older Count Schartau and the young Count Ulrich Ziszek-Wald rise from it. Both serve in the regiment. Count Schartau tells Count Ziszek-Wald about his past and about his daughter Maria, who arose from a liaison with a maid before his marriage, and from whom his wife devoured a fool. The countess is seriously ill and from the attending family doctor Dr. Harz, Count Ziszek-Wald receives strange information about Maria. Shortly afterwards, he witnessed Maria denying that she had opened a letter but knew the contents of it. To Count Ziszek-Wald's amazement, Maria demonstrates to him that she knows exactly how much money is in his wallet.
December 1912: Ten years have passed when Maria appears at a social event. She has just returned from Sweden for two months. Her father is embarrassed to meet, he wants Maria to leave the festival. Some time later, Maria Graf Ziszek-Wald calls and they meet. Their affection grows and it doesn't take long before Count Maria confesses his love and speaks of marriage.
The now deceased Countess Schartau left Maria with a good in Kaliningrad as well as money. In order to be on a par with Count Ziszek-Wald, Maria would like her father to adopt her. Only then could the count continue to serve in the regiment after his marriage. In fact, Maria succeeds in getting her father to give in and take the necessary steps to recognize his daughter. Schartau jokingly turns to Count Ziszek-Wald and says that the count will first have to ask him if he wants to marry Countess Maria Schartau. Beaming with joy, he complies with the request and asks Maria's father for her hand.
September 1913: Maria and Ulrich marry each other. Harz, the family doctor, pointed out to Count Ulrich once again that Maria was an exceptionally sensitive person. And in fact, shortly afterwards Maria Ulrich asks to give her a little more time, even if she knows that she is now his wife. The young couple's honeymoon takes them to Venice. One night Maria has another inspiration from her. Ulrich is shocked and says she's just fantasizing. Worried, he calls Dr. Harz and tells him what he experienced with his wife during the night. With the information he received, the doctor tried to prevent a possible crime, but met with incomprehension from the officer in charge. Five days later, a young boy is dead - murdered. Maria had foreseen this crime. The officers now want the name of the person who provided the information. Dr. Harz tries everything to keep Maria out of the matter, but ultimately has to reveal her name. This also has consequences for Count Ulrich, since there must not be what cannot be. He is posted to Rome, as it were, transferred as a punishment, even if it is called differently.
May 1914: After another inspiration, Maria tells her husband that if she wants someone to love her, she can get it too. For Count Ulrich, the fact that his wife is different has further professional consequences. In the meantime, however, Maria has achieved that the ambassador's wife has taken her into her heart. Ulrich wants to know when she first used her power over other people. Maria replies when she bit his hand when they first met. While Ulrich worries whether a child together could inherit Maria's characteristics, Maria confesses to him that it would be her death if he left her.
Maria is expecting a child. She trusts Dr. Harz said that her husband did not yet know and that she was afraid how he would take this news. To make matters worse, Maria is to be expelled from Austria because she foresaw the assassination attempt in Sarajevo and the outbreak of the First World War . Her father tried everything to reverse his daughter's expulsion. The Archduke insists, however, and demands that Count Ulrich must take his early departure from the military because of Maria's premonitions .
Count Ulrich asks Maria to leave the country alone for the time being, he would of course come. Maria complies, but does not believe that he will keep his promise. Left on her own, Maria gave birth to a little boy in a monastery. Believing that she has lost her husband's love, Mary despairs and fades away. “What else should I do in this world?” Are her last words. Count Ulrich, Maria's father and Dr. Harz on the deathbed of the young woman and Ulrich painfully realizes that Maria was right this time too. Count Schartau said to his grandson: "I hope you will have an easier fate than your mother."
Production, publication
The production company was Capitol-Film GmbH (Berlin). The production manager was Georg Mohr , the production manager Dietrich von Theobald . Emil Hasler and Walter Kutz were responsible for the film construction. Hermann Fritzsching was responsible for the sound and Franz Hofer for the camera work . The costume designs came from Alfred Bücken. The film was made in the Berlin-Tempelhof film studio; the outdoor shots were made in Vienna, Rome, Venice, on Capri and in Styria. The world sales took place through the West Berlin Prisma Filmverleih.
The film was subjected to an FSK test on October 5, 1954 under the test number 08625 and approved for children aged 12 and over with the addition of “holiday-free”. It premiered on October 15, 1954 in the Marble House in Berlin. The English marketing title is The Witch . In Yugoslavia the film ran under the Serbian title Veštica .
criticism
The lexicon of international films stated: "A neatly staged entertainment film that neglects the political background in addition to the melodramatic decoration of the unusual fate of women."
Web links
- The witch in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The witch at filmportal.de
- How the film star became a person for people: “Die Hexe” (1954) In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung , May 30, 2014.
- Die Hexe Fig. Title page Illustrierte Film-Bühne No. 2515 (in the picture: Anita Björk)
- The witch movie poster sS filmportal.de
Individual evidence
- ^ Alfred Bauer : German feature film Almanach. Volume 2: 1946-1955 , p. 426 f.
- ↑ The witch. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 30, 2018 .