User reviews

Some of the great movies of all time such as "Gone With the Wind", "Doctor Zhivago" and "War and Peace" have set their characters adrift against a backdrop of momentous historical events.

"Fräulein" is certainly set against awesome historical events, but the filmmakers seem to have tackled the drama with one hand tied behind their backs - and the old Hollywood Production Code probably did much of the tying.

The film is set in Germany at the end of WW2. Erika Angermann (Dana Wynter), a young German woman encounters an escaping American prisoner, Major Foster MacLain (Mel Ferrer) who plays a significant role in her life. She flees from the Russian zone to the American Zone and undergoes many of the things women in Germany experienced at the end of the war. The sense of degradation and humiliation visited upon the defeated nation is touched on in a number of sequences.

However Erika's episode with the Red Army stretches credulity. Although upwards of 2,000,000 German women were raped by the avenging Red Army, Erika manages to stay chaste, miraculously slipping through their fingers, despite being so eye-catching that in reality she would probably have been the object of a full-scale pincer movement.

The film was based on a novel that had a harder edge, but of course a Hollywood movie in 1956 had to tone things down. Even with those limitations, more could have been done to capture a sense of the great upheaval and dislocation of millions of people that took place. Despite some footage shot on location, the direction and photography for the most part is pedestrian.

A few sequences do resonate: Erika briefly seen as one of the Trümmerfrau or rubble woman; Lt. Hugo Von Metzler (Helmut Dantine), the once proud officer reduced to making lampshades; the cruel way in which Erika is set up as a prostitute by people she trusted.

Dana Wynter (who was born in Germany) was an actress who made an impression on me growing up in the 1950's ("Something of Value", "D-Day the Sixth of June"); she seemed the epitome of beauty and elegance. Maybe Hollywood didn't know what to do with her; surely she should have become a bigger star.

"Fräulein" is interesting for the time in which it was set and its beautiful star. Unfortunately it settled for being a romance rather than something more telling.

It is really a wonderful love story set in war time and post war Germany. Dana Wynter was her usual terrific self. This movie was shown on a cable channel a few years ago. I believe it was Amercian Movie Classics during the time their movies were commercial free and the host was Bob Dorian. I have not seen it since. It should be released as a classic on DVD.

One wonders why so many excellent screen classics and exceptional "made for TV" movies are never released in video or at least shown on regular or cable TV stations. Well, I guess we will never know. As a fan of this movie and one who would love to see it again, I'll keep hoping.

Those who prefer dramas as "Germany: Year Zero" may find "Fräulein" a bit too glamorized depiction of the drama of German people during and after World War II. Made during Cold War years, and every now and then spoilt by American propaganda, it is though an interesting story, dealing with a young woman from Köln who fights her way through war and armistice in Berlin, preserving her virginity every time she is forced into prostitution or quick sex with German clients or Russian soldiers. Dana Wynter gives a restrained one-note performance, but keeps the viewers interested with all the dramatic turns in her life, even if the denouement is typical Hollywood formula.

Dana Wynter had presence ( not all actors do ) and I feel she was vastly underrated. Here she is given the lead in a film that attempts to reconstruct Germany at the time of its defeat, and the advance of the Soviets into Berlin. With the brutal death of her father in Cologne Erica goes to Berlin, and there inadvertently enters a house of prostitution. Interestingly told it is full of stereotypes ( less for the Germans than the Soviets ) and this in many ways detracts from the films serious approach. Perhaps Koster was not the right director, but the scenario borders on the sensationalist aspect of the Soviets, and that in the main was their need to rape any woman on sight, including of course Erica. Mel Ferrer ( not the best actor ) is the G. I. who comes like a shining knight to save her, and here end of spoilers. Filmed well in Cinemascope there are good moments, but it is Dana Wynter's film and in my opinion she carries it more or less single handed to a higher level. Another ' lost ' film that I accidentally saw on television. Worth seeing but on my part with deep reservations about authenticity.

Despite Fassbinder's admiration for Douglas Sirk this glossy production in colour and 'scope by his compatriot Henry Koster more closely resembles the younger director's 'The Marriage of Maria Braun' than anything Sirk himself made (which might not be mere coincidence since leading man Mel Ferrer was later in Fassbinder's 'Lili Marlene').

Because allegiances had switched in the intervening ten years since the time in which it was set the Russians are far less attractively portrayed than the Germans; but at least Theodor Bikel gets to sing!

I have seen more authentic films about post-war Germany but this tale is pleasant enough viewing. There are more than a few instances of clumsy direction and poor acting which are somewhat disengaging, but the film does seem to improve as it goes along. For some reason the initial scenes are very brief and perfunctory. Further into the film there are some quite dramatic scenes with the heroine escaping various fates. Dana Wynter is very beautiful eye candy, but she is saddled with a poorly written character and radiates sulkiness for most of the film, before an improbable U-turn. Mel Ferrer is a likeable and graceful hero (cute butt, Mel!) but is scarcely portrayed with any depth. When it comes to charm, the piano-playing friend steals the scene. I enjoyed the "lucky break" the heroine experiences at the end of the film, which leaves you with a warm feeling. So overall, a positive rating, but I think the guy who wrote the novel (by all accounts a more realistic version) has probably never stopped complaining about what Hollywood did to his opus..

I liked this sweet, but caustic movie of post-World War II. It could be tearful for others besides me, but I think that people who like this type of movie will also enjoy this film. So many people were caught up in similar circumstances during this war and afterward and is very similar to some situations in Korea and Vietnam. It is basically a love story, but full of pathos and irony that was so typical of the times of WWII and afterward. Some reviewers may take issue with the tale of a German girl helping a US soldier, then being held by the communists, but it is a mere sidestory to the true love story that exists in the story and film. f you liked the following movies: From Here to Eternity - Hiroshima, Mon Amour - Love is A Many Splendored Thing - Sand Pebbles, then you will enjoy Fraulein.

This is Dana Wynter's film, there is no question about it. It is her story as the daughter of a German professor in Cologne who gets killed in one of the last air raids of the war, whereafter she is lost and has to survive by any means, possible or impossible. She ends up in Berlin where she has to lead an existence like one of the ruins, until chance moves in. It's a great story, and although Mel Ferrer is the male lead, he is actually only a supporting actor to Dana Wynter, who makes her smile. There are many fine sequences, but one of the best is the appearance of Theodore Bikel as a Russian officer saving her from harassment by his soldiers and actually saving her life, while he gets drunk out of infatuation with her, wishing to marry her and take her as a bride to Bucharest and giving a hell of a party, before he vanishes out of the film to further unknown adventures in Bucharest. Another poignant scene is her encounter with her crippled former fiancé, who is too well aware of that the world of their love its gone forever and acts accordingly. Throughout the film Dana Wynter keeps her poise, she never smiles, she is dead serious too well aware of the war that has ruined her world and possibilities, and yet her personality brings some magic that makes people help her on - the story of her room mate is of vital importance and should be followed carefully, from the moment she steals her vodka and to the final crisis. This is a film to love and enjoy, and there is no propaganda in it. Berlin is caught in the realism of its ruins, like the whole film is genuinely realistic. Henry Koster was thoroughly reliable throughout his career and made many classics, although he never was generally put in the first rank.

The story begins during the latter portion of WWII. Captain MacLain (Mel Ferrer) is an escaped American POW and it seems very unlikely that he'll manage to make it back to the Allied lines. However, unexpectedly, a German family, the Angermanns, hide the Captain from the authorities and eventually he is able to make it back to his people.

Shortly after this, Germany falls to the Allies. Since the family is now in eastern Berlin, the have to deal with the Soviet invasion. Women throughout the city are raped and Erika Angermann (Dana Wynter) has to do much to avoid this fate. To do so, she must move towards the American lines...hoping their soldiers are less cruel. Now, although she isn't being forced in sexual situations, there's almost no other choice as jobs are scarce and many German women turn tricks to avoid starvation. What is to happen with Erika? And, what about that Captain from the beginning of the film...what will he have to do with Erika and her future?

This story is very well done. It's an unusual story based on some actual events and manages to be both a drama, and later, a romance. Well worth seeing.

would like to buy this in DVD or VHS any inf. on this. when will this be out on the things i mentioned. i enjoyed this movie. this is one of the better movies that was made. so if you can help me to purchase this movie i would appreciate it very much. thank you for letting me make a comment on this movie. i cannot say enough about these old movies they should have more of them on DVD or VHS. i do not know why they are not putting all the old movies on DVD or VHS you would or could make a lot of money. because there are a lot of old folks that would buy these movies. when i was a young man i have seen a lot of movies if they were on tape i would not hesitate to buy them. i was also looking for the tarzan movies with johnny weissmuller. all of them not just 6 they have out now. thank you again

I agree with the gentleman's comment and would like to have more 1940 and 1950 movies available for purchase in their original production and screen size. There were some wonderful musicals, horror, western, war and romance stories, etc. made in that time period that have not been seen since they were shown in the movie theaters. Like movies starring Van Heflin, Rory Calhoun, Lex Barker, Rock Hudson, etc.

I also would like to be able to purchase this movie (Fraulein) on DVD (preferably) or tape in letterbox style. Is it available? If a movie is shown on TV, is it available for purchase on DVD or tape? The movie shown on TV was not in letterbox and I feel a lot of the picture was left out. I am a romantic and liked this movie very much and felt Mel Ferrer and Dana Wynter were terrific. The scenery was realistic and the boat ride scenes were great. Was it filmed on location?

I would also like to be able to purchase Tarzan movies starring "Lex Barker" who played Tarzan in the 1950s. I have not seen any of these on TV and hope they are still able to be shown. Thanking you in advance for your reply.