Sebastian Kneipp - A great life
Sebastian Kneipp - A great life (distribution title in Germany also Sebastian Kneipp - The water doctor or doctor without exam ) is an Austrian fictional film by Wolfgang Liebeneiner from 1958. It has the Bavarian priest Sebastian Kneipp , here played by Carl Wery , on the subject, the founder of Kneipp medicine . Key roles are occupied by Gerlinde Locker , Michael Cramer , Ellinor Jensen , Anita Gutwell , Ernst Deutsch , Egon von Jordan and Paul Klinger .
action
When Archduke Joseph of Austria-Hungary is struck by an attack of sciatica , his daughter Aglaya convinces her reluctant father to visit the priest Sebastian Kneipp, who is known for his success with his water therapy , in Bad Wörishofen . The Archduke reacts indignantly when Kneipp does not grant him privileged treatment, but treats him like any other patient. During his treatment, Aglaya and Kneipp's assistant, the medical student Hans v. Faber, whose professor Ziemssen opposes Kneipp, a romance.
On the same day, to the horror of the townspeople, a young Italian woman with lupus arrives . Kneipp furiously rebukes people for not treating women as lepers. Dr. Schmidt, one of Kneipp's worst enemies, sees his hour as coming because he sees a threat to public health in the treatment of the Italian by Kneipp. When the Archduke read from Dr. When Schmidt learns of his actions, he reacts indignantly and agrees to support Kneipp. Out of desperation the Italian tries to commit suicide, but Kneipp makes it clear to her that she would do more harm than good by suicide and promises to cure her.
At the same time, Dr. Schmidt to set a trap for Kneipp by calling him to a dying woman to give Kneipp the final unction . However, Kneipp manages to save the woman's life with the help of its treatment methods. His pastor, the Bishop of Augsburg, criticized his approach, since the woman would have died if Kneipp's treatment had not been successful without the sacraments.
In addition, Kneipp has to recognize that even his abilities have limits when the nine-year-old Gaston, against whose leukemia Kneipp could not do anything, dies of the disease. Kneipp announces that due to the constantly growing resistance from the press, science and authorities he will stop his healing activities and will only work as a pastor in the future; however, he finishes the treatment of the Italian woman.
When Kneipp is even supposed to answer in court, Archduke Joseph organizes a lawyer for him. Both the Italian and the mother of nine will appear as witnesses. Kneipp is already close to giving up, but the process will be victorious for him. But Kneipp remains depressed because his case is now being handed over to the Vatican.
In the Vatican, Kneipp is taken to an unknown member of the Vatican, who asks him about his biography and asks him about treatment for insomnia. The next day, Kneipp presented at an audience with Leo XIII. states that he treated the Pope's insomnia, that Kneipp allowed his healing activities to continue and that he was given the title of Monsignor .
Production notes, publication
The shooting took place from September 2, 1958 to October 1958 in Bad Wörishofen. Wolfgang Witzemann was responsible for the film construction . The script was written by Erna Fentsch , Carl Wery's wife.
The film was first distributed by Neue Filmverleih GmbH (Munich). The world premiere took place on November 27, 1958 in the Bavaria in Würzburg. In Bad Wörishofen, the film was shown for the first time eight days later, on December 5, 1958, in the Lichtspiele, with Carl Wery, Anita Gutwell and Paul Klinger in attendance and enthusiastically received. In the Kneipp town, the box office rush was great, but in the rest of Germany the film did not become a box office hit and was canceled three weeks after the premiere.
After the film title had been changed and the film was slightly recut, the film was released again in Germany in March 1959, in southern Germany under the title Der Wasserdoktor , in northern and western Germany under the title Doctor Without Exams . Today we think we know that the title Sebastian Kneipp - A Great Life or Der Wunderdoktor did not win at that time, because what does Lieschen Müller know about Sebastian Kneipp and what about a great life ? At that time there were also bad titles in circulation like water, women, warm wraps or hot kisses, cold showers or where the waves rush to the knee .
criticism
In the contemporary reviews, the "outstanding achievement" of Carl Wery in the title role was particularly emphasized, who succeeded in "making the Kneipp people in all their characteristics and traits so typical that the main merit for the lasting effect of the film experience" come to. All other roles are also "carefully cast," says Paul Klinger as Dr. To mention Baumgarten "boasting"; Anita Gutwell in the role of an Italian girl whose face is infested with lupus makes "an impressive character study", Paul Hörbiger as Archduke Joseph brings "the cheerful note to the film" and also the tender love story between the princess played by Gerlinde Locker and the young Kneipp supporter Hans von Faber embodied by Michael Cramer "in no way disturbs". So the film is all in all: "A film that is able to make the heroic life and work of the Swabian water doctor popular in even broader circles and to give the Kneipp movement itself new impulses."
“The film describes the success of his water healing methods, his hostility from conventional medicine and his rehabilitation by Pope Leo XIII. Uplifting entertainment: naive, emphatically popular and played in the main role in a winning way. "
Kino.de found that Liebeneiner directs his gaze "on the mood of the general public" and shows in an easily digestible way how "the Kneipp played by Carl Wery as a little man finally asserts itself despite challenges from scholars and church leaders".
Cinema said that the film was "a bit old-fashioned", but attested to it being "charismatic leading actors" who would be "fun" and came to the conclusion: "Not a great film, but quite moody."
Web links
- Sebastian Kneipp - A great life in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Sebastian Kneipp - A great life at filmportal.de
- Sebastian Kneipp - A great life on filmposter-archiv.de
- Sebastian Kneipp - a great life Fig. New film program No. 1116, which was first shown in Germany in 1958
- Sebastian Kneipp Fig. Title page Illustrierte Film-Bühne No. 4585 (in the picture Carl Wery, Anita Gutwell), which was released in Germany in 1959 for a revival
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Der Wasserdoktor see ottobeuren-macht-geschichte.de, background information (including film poster Der Wasserdoktor )
- ↑ Sebastian Kneipp - A great life. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed March 2, 2017 .
- ↑ Sebastian Kneipp - The Water Doctor sS kino.de (including trailer + 16 film images). Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ↑ Sebastian Kneipp - A great life sS cinema.de (including 8 film images). Retrieved October 28, 2018.