Waidmannsheil in Spitzenhöschen (3½ Stars)

This is an erotic film made in Germany in 1982. Other reviewers call it an erotic comedy, but I think they're wrong. It's not intended to be funny at all, unless you're someone who laughs at sex. The only thing that's funny about the film is the title. "Waidmannsheil" is a typical word used when hunters bid farewell to one another. Literally it means "hunter's salute", but it's used to wish good luck in hunting, i.e. "happy hunting". "Waidmann" is an old German word for hunter, but it's no longer used apart from the expression "Waidmannsheil". That means the title translates as "Happy hunting in lace panties". The film has never been released in Britain or America, so I don't have to quote any embarrassing English titles.

The film begins with young Eva Kronberger running away from home. Judging by the car number plates, she lives near Stuttgart, but she hitches lifts into Bavaria. One of the men throws her out of the car when she isn't willing to have sex with him. She's stranded on the edge of a forest somewhere in Bavaria. A hunter called Hubert finds her and takes her back to the castle where he lives and works.

In the film the castle is called Schloss Sächshausen, but that's obviously a fictional name. I've tried in vain to locate this beautiful building. Does anyone know where it is?

Here's another photo from a different angle. If you know this castle, please leave a message in the comments box.

The castle's owner is Count Sächshausen. He shares the castle with Hubert, a man called Richard, whose occupation I couldn't discern, and the maid Anna. The Count is deeply in debt and is afraid he'll be forced to sell the castle. Eva suggests that he open a hunting school. This is an immediate success. Eight young people immediately sign up for classes. Eva's mother also comes to the castle to check up on her daughter. This is a weak point in the plot. If Eva is so determined to leave home that she climbs out of the window, why should she ring up her mother to tell her where she is. Nevertheless, her mother also enrols in the hunting school.

Hubert is the teacher in the hunting school. Who else?

Both theory and practice.

A romantic attachment develops between the Count and Eva's mother.

There's a sexual relationship between Richard and Anna. I mentioned above that some people might find this amusing. Why? Is it because a fat woman is having sex? I don't see any reason to laugh at this. I'm being serious. Middle aged fat women want sex just as much as slim 20-year-olds. There's no reason to laugh at them.

The film has a happy ending, via a detour. First the Count is told that the bank will take possession of his castle, because the income from the hunting school isn't enough to save it. Then Eva's mother saves the castle by paying off the debts. It's never stated how she has that much money, but if you check the beginning of the film you'll see that Eva is running away from a large house.

The film ends with three lucky couples becoming united:

The Count gets engaged to Eva's mother.

Eva gets encouraged to Hubert.

Anna tells Richard that after years of sex they should finally get married. He agrees on condition that she'll always obey him. No comment.

This is a pleasant film. It's not a comedy. I would have preferred it if it had been a comedy.