The two best known films of Helmut Kautner are situated in shipping circles. "Unter den Brucken" (1946) is about inland shipping, "Grosse Freiheit nr 7" (1944) is about sailors.
"Grosse Freiheit Nr 7" was made during the last phase of World War Two, and the Nazi propaganda was hoping for an heroic movie. They were utterly disappointed by the film, which was not shown in Germany until after the Second World War. To recoup some of the production costs the film was nonetheless exported to other countries.
What exactly did arouse the resentment of the Nazi's? I think it was the sphere of melancholy ans nostalgia that permeates the film. Instead of an heroic seaman the film is about a retired sailor who earns a living by singing in a nightclub in the red light district of Hamburg.
In the beginning of the film two former ship mates are visiting his club. At the outside of the club they see their old fellow as a mechanically moved mannequin pop. At the inside the memory's of times gone by immediately set the tone.
This relationship between the old pals is more important for the ambiance of the film than all the romantic complications that are to follow. Complications that are nevertheless responsible for a magnificent dream sequence where our main character is torn apart between his love for the sea and his love for a girl he has recenly met.
