The pious Helene (film)
The pious Helene is a German comedy based on the works of Wilhelm Busch . Directed by Axel von Ambesser played Simone Rethel the title role. The premiere of the film, which is released from the age of 6, took place on December 21, 1965.
action
Frankfurt am Main in the 19th century. While Wilhelm Busch looks at life and goings-on in the streets, he runs into a perky little girl named Helene, who was to inspire him to one of his most famous stories.
Helene has nothing but nonsense on her mind. She loves to do mischief and play pranks. Sometimes they spread itching powder, sometimes it rises at night from the window and dancing in a ballet Cancan . Her guardian, the prison director Knistig, is gradually getting too much, and he sends her to the country to see her uncle Nolte. As soon as she arrives, she meets Max and Moritz who, like her, don't want to play anything but jokes. Together they go to a shooting festival, where the local dignitaries, including Wilhelm Busch with a sketch pad, are currently staying.
The three children hatch all sorts of jokes and, in a competition, shoot a balloon filled with wine exactly over Mr. Schmöck, which is completely wetted. However, only Helene is punished, while Max and Moritz get away. Uncle Nolte has to pay for the damage. For this he locks his niece as punishment in the cellar, where Helene has to glue bags. Max and Moritz, however, have already hatched a plan and free the soot-smeared Helene from her captivity via the chimney, while Nolte in the meantime chases after the neat Fraulein Schmöhle.
Revenge is sweet, Max and Moritz think, and saw the bridge that Uncle Nolte has to cross on the way home. Helene, on the other hand, warns her uncle about this misdeed, but makes him promise never to lock her in the basement again. In order to emphasize her demand, she adds a little blackmail: otherwise she would tell Aunt Pauline about Uncle Nolte's Tête-à-Tête with Mamsell Schmöhle ...
The handsome cousin Franz, who has announced himself to visit, promises new excitement for Helene. However, he initially shows little interest in Helene and prefers to joke around with the kitchen staff, namely Hannchen. Helene hopes to get closer to him at the upcoming rifle ball, but unfortunately she can't dance. Wilhelm Busch knows what to do: he arranges a dance lesson in the open air for you and Max & Moritz. The three of them drive into town the next day and gain entry to the theater there. The requisite costumes are used in the props room, and so dressed, Helene, as "Baroness Hohenhausen", intends to appear in the evening at the inn where the rifle ball is to take place. Helene “von Hohenhausen” quickly aroused general attention, including that of cousin Franz. However, it was Wilhelm Busch again who immediately recognized Helene. But he keeps still.
Mr Schmöck, the self-proclaimed gentleman Helenes that evening, has meanwhile struggled with a bone in the kitchen. This is the opportunity for cousin Franz to try his luck with the "Baroness". Much to the annoyance of Uncle Nolte and Mr Dralle, he asked Helene to dance. Meanwhile, Max & Moritz are doing mischief again and rub the shoes of Dralle's daughter Dorchen with soft soap under the table. When Dorchen, who has also had an eye on the handsome Franz, finally wants to dance with him, she flies lengthways and lands under the table. Helene can hardly keep herself from laughing and soon begins to fight with Dorchen. Herr Schmöck stands protectively in front of Helene, who loses her hat veil in the scramble. Soon everyone recognizes who is hiding behind the mask of the 'Baroness Hohenhausen'. Aunt Pauline faints, Uncle Nolte is horrified, only cousins Franz and Wilhelm Busch are having fun.
The next day, Mr Schmöck appears at Uncle Nolte's and asks for Helene's hand. She doesn't know what to do and asks Busch for advice. In his very special way, he describes in detail what would happen to you in your marriage to this gentleman. When Busch asks her en passant if it wouldn't be better to marry her cousin Franz, who would be waiting for her in the next room, she was very happy. On the way to the altar, Max and Moritz scatter the flowers. But they wouldn't be Max and Moritz if they hadn't come up with a trick long ago: They mixed sneezing powder with the flowers ...
Production notes
This Franz Seitz production with prominent figures was filmed from August 16 to October 9, 1965 in Schleswig-Holstein (outdoor shots) and in the Geiselgasteig film studios .
The 16-year-old Munich student Simone Rethel received her first film role here.
A total of 170 letters with photos were received by Constantin-Film in 1965 after a call for casting had started. A total of five girls were shortlisted until Ambesser finally decided on Rethel.
Ambesser himself took on the key role of Wilhelm Busch.
Wolf Englert and Robert Stratil took care of the film construction, Ilse Dubois designed the costumes .
The later famous cameraman Frank Brühne was allowed to take part in a large production as a camera assistant for the first time.
The silent film pioneer Otto Reinwald , originally an actor, found here his last job as a manager .
The 374-meter-long German documentary short film Pacific Impressions by Gunter Sachs was shown in German cinemas as the supporting film for Die pious Helene .
criticism
The Handbook Films 1965–1970 wrote about Die pious Helene : “Inconsistent in style, without swing and not very sure of taste”.
The lexicon of international films judged: “Clumsy German entertainment cinema of the 1960s with a low level of craftsmanship”.
The Protestant Film Observer came to the following conclusion: “Very free recreation of Wilhelm Busch's picture story, in which the manufacturers were apparently aware of their limits. Those who do not prefer to stick to the original from the outset may enjoy the film as a home-made family meal. A few fewer ingredients would have significantly improved the taste, but that affects more knowledgeable adults. "
Individual evidence
- ^ Films 1965–1970, Volume 1, Handbook VIII of Catholic Film Critics, p. 96. Cologne 1971.
- ↑ Klaus Brüne (Red.): Lexikon des Internationale Films Volume 2, S. 1143. Reinbek near Hamburg 1987.
- ↑ Evangelischer Film-Beobachter, Volume 18, 1966, Review No. 16, p. 37
Web links
- The pious Helene in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The pious Helene at filmportal.de