The Girl from Flanders | |
Native Name: | |
Director: | Helmut Käutner |
Producer: | Herbert Uhlich |
Music: | Bernhard Eichhorn |
Cinematography: | Friedl Behn-Grund |
Editing: | Anneliese Schönnenbeck |
Studio: | Capitol Film |
Distributor: | Prisma Film |
Runtime: | 105 minutes |
Country: | West Germany |
Language: | German |
The Girl from Flanders (German: '''Ein Mädchen aus Flandern''') is a 1956 romantic drama film directed by Helmut Käutner starring Nicole Berger, Maximilian Schell, and Viktor de Kowa.[1] It is an adaption of the novel Engele von Löwen (Angele de Louvain) written by Carl Zuckmayer.
It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin with location filming around the town of Damme in Flanders. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Emil Hasler and Walter Kutz.
1914, German advance through Belgium: the young war volunteer Alexander 'Alex' Haller (Schell) is given water by a young Belgian woman (Berger). 1917, Third Battle of Flanders: Alex, now a 2nd lieutenant, is tired of the propaganda on the Home Front, so he spends his furlough in the hinterland of the Western Front. While boarding in a brothel, he meets the young woman again. They fall in love. Late 1918, German retreat after the Armistice: Engele and Alex meet again, only to be harassed by a Belgian mob. Shortly prior to being hanged by the mob, a group of passing Belgian soldiers, tired of the killing, saves them. End of the tale.