Wenn der weiße Flieder wieder blüht (4 Stars)

The title of this 1953 film translates as "When the white lilacs blossom again". The title comes from a hit song from the 1920's. A shortened version of the song is used in the film in various scenes.

When the white lilacs blossom again
I'll sing you my most beautiful love song.
Again and again I'll kneel before you
And we'll drink the scent of the white lilacs.
When the white lilacs blossom again
I'll kiss your red lips endlessly.
We'll become a fairy tale couple
When the white lilac blooms again.

Yes, it's a love film. It's not a romantic comedy. Were romantic comedies even invented that long ago? Most of the film is sad, but it ends on a happy but thoughtful note.

Willi Forster and his wife Therese have been married for a year. She works hard as a seamstress, while he doesn't work at all. He wants to become a singer, but he hasn't made a breakthrough yet. Therese is getting frustrated with him lying around in bed all day, and he's annoyed with her when her sewing machine wakes him up at 7 am. They're lucky enough to have a pleasant apartment in Wiesbaden, but they're always short of money. Accommodation was cheap after the war.

One day they have a big argument, and he walks out. Therese doesn't find out until a month later that she's pregnant. She still loves Willi,  but she doesn't tell him, because she wants him to come back because of her, not because of the baby. 15 years go by. Willi's best friend Peter supports Therese, acting as a surrogate father, for instance teaching Therese's daughter Eva how to ride a bike.

In the meantime, Willi goes to Rome and makes his big break. He changes his name to Bill Perry and becomes an international singing star. He's never remarried. He still loves Therese. Then, after 15 years, he returns to Wiesbaden for a concert. Quite by accident, he bumps into Eva. She's a big fan of his music, not knowing he's her father.

At the same time Willi tries to win Therese back, but he's chosen the wrong time to do it. After 15 years of friendship, Therese is finally considering marrying Peter.

I don't want to give away what happens, apart from sharing one detail: the film's most important theme is the reconciliation of father and daughter. That's what brought tears to my eyes. The film contains several extravagant musical numbers, the equal of anything made in Hollywood, and it ends with father and daughter on stage together.

The film is made even more poignant by Therese and Eva being portrayed by the real life mother and daughter, Magda and Romy Schneider. Magda was a famous German actress in the 1950's, but Romy's fame soon outshone her. This was the first of many films that Romy Schneider made.

It's also worth mentioning that it was also the first film of the actor Götz George. I wouldn't have recognised him.

Götz George in 1953

Götz George in 2013

This is supposedly one of Germany's most popular films, but today is the first time I've ever seen it. That's what comes from never watching television! I don't think the film has ever been released in English. It's worth watching if you speak German.