Königswald Castle

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Movie
Original title Königswald Castle
Country of production Germany
original language German
Publishing year 1988
length 89 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
Rod
Director Peter Schamoni
script Horst Bienek ,
Peter Schamoni
production Peter Schamoni
Willi Segler
for Peter Schamoni Filmproduktion
Allianz Film
music Ralph Siegel
camera Gérard Vandenberg
cut Angelika Siegmeier
occupation

Königswald Castle is a German film adaptation by Peter Schamoni from 1988 . The film, on television under the title The last story of the castle King Forest ran, based on the novel Königswald by Horst Bienek .

action

Shortly before the end of the Second World War, various noble ladies gathered at Königswald Castle in Bohemia : Princess Grandmother handed the castle over to her granddaughter Ursela, Countess Hohenlohe is in a wheelchair and is driven daily by housemaid Milka through the park belonging to the castle, Countess Posadowsky saw her castle burning and fled to Königswald Castle, and Countess Dohna and Countess Woronzoff also came to the castle as refugees. Everyone is anxiously waiting to see who will arrive first: the Russians or the Americans. First, however, Baroness von Boehme arrives on a bicycle, a distant relative of the castle owners. She once married a cousin of the family and is therefore Ursela's aunt. She used to be a successful singer and dancer and now raves about her successes on the biggest stages in Europe, while the nobility reacts rather piquely to her.

Königswald Castle is initially occupied by the Germans. They want to turn the castle into a fortress against the Russians or Americans and, if necessary, have it bombed. The old ladies decide to disable a grenade launcher designed for this purpose. Milka has started an affair with Sergeant Franz Hallhuber, the adjutant of the chief captain Kolk. Princess Grandmother celebrates her 80th birthday and invites the soldiers and Captain Kolk to the castle. During the celebration, Milka Hallhuber hides in the sparkling wine cellar and the women give the Germans an ultimatum after the celebration: They pretend to have taken Hallhuber hostage and thus want to force the Germans to withdraw. For his part, Kolk has issued an ultimatum. He wants to have all women shot if Hallhuber is not released. Before either side can decide, however, the Germans withdraw as the death of Adolf Hitler is reported. They leave Hallhuber behind and Milka now hides him in the attic of the castle.

The Americans appear shortly afterwards. You want to have the castle cleared first. However, the old ladies get her to agree to a peaceful coexistence in the castle. When the Germans surrender, there is a great celebration at the castle. Freifrau von Boehme dances with the GIs Charleston and Boogie Woogie and for the first time in a long time there is real coffee. However, the women’s joy is short-lived: After the Allied Agreement , the Americans have to vacate the castle for the Red Army . The noble ladies decide to go with the Americans. Princess grandmother wants to settle in the castle of her relatives on the Rhine and the other women are also allowed to follow her. Milka decides to stay in the castle, where Hallhuber is still hidden. Servant Karl, who is actually called Karel Swoboda, also stays behind. The group of women starts moving, only Ursela briefly returns to the castle. Karl has already made himself comfortable here with champagne and a cigar, while Milka walks arm in arm with Hallhuber through the park in her wedding dress. Ursela turns back and joins the old ladies.

production

Wernstein Castle, in the film Königswald Castle

Königswald Castle was filmed from April 20 to June 20, 1987 at Wernstein Castle near Kulmbach and Au Castle in Freising. The studio recordings were made in the Bavaria Filmstudio. The film premiered on January 14, 1988.

Ralph Siegel wrote the film music. There are also pieces by Peter Kreuder ( For a Night Full of Bliss ), Frédéric Chopin ( Minute Waltz ), Jimmy Jackson and Peter Tschaikowsky .

Königswald Castle was the last feature film in which Marika Rökk appeared. "... it is no secret that [...] [Marika Rökk] fought her way forward alongside the other famous cinema women, so to speak in freestyle, with elbows and dancing legs, not an easy position for director and 'referee' Peter Schamoni", says Elvira Reitze in the afterword of Rökk's biography Herz mit Paprika .

The 67-year-old costume designer Charlotte Flemming designed the clothes for a movie here for the last time.

criticism

The film-dienst called the film “an overly cautious and contradictory comedy due to the historically more critical submission by Horst Bienek, whose political background no longer comes into play. The event, which is also artistically interesting, is the successful re-appearance of an old guard of actors who performed excellently on stage. ”For Cinema , Königswald Castle was a“ grandiose gala of old stage divas ”.

Awards

Carola Höhn, Marianne Hoppe, Camilla Horn, Ortrud von der Recke, Fee von Reichlin, Marika Rökk and Rose Renée Roth were awarded the Actor Prize of the Bavarian Film Prize in 1988 . The jury praised the cast as “a stroke of luck for a unique cast. […] It is the strength of this professional group that it does not dissolve into individual miniatures. They are only strong together, even if Marika Rökk sometimes tries to get to the fore with her unbridled joy in playing ”. Milan Bor also received the Bavarian Film Prize for the best sound design.

literature

  • The last days of Königswald Castle . In: Hilmar Hoffmann (Ed.): Peter Schamoni. Film Pieces . Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Stuttgart 2003, pp. 174-185.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Elvira Reitze: Do it again, Marika! In: Marika Rökk: Heart with paprika. Memories . Ullstein, Frankfurt am Main and Berlin 1991, p. 250.
  2. Königswald Castle. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  3. See cinema.de
  4. Michael Lentz in WAZ , January 14, 1988. Quoted from Hilmar Hoffmann (Ed.): Peter Schamoni. Film Pieces . Arnoldsche Art Publishers, Stuttgart 2003, p. 174.