Ripening Youth () is a 1933 German drama film directed by Carl Froelich and starring Heinrich George, Peter Voß and Hertha Thiele.Heins p.64
The film's sets were designed by the art directors Karl Machus, Otto Moldenhauer and Franz Schroedter. Location shooting took place at Stralsund on the Baltic coast. It was well-received by the Nazi press on its release, and drew inspiration from the earlier Madchen in Uniform which was admired by film journalists of the Third Reich.Heins p.64-65
Synopsis When three girls transfer to an elite school in Lübeck so they can sit their upcoming university entrance examinations, this causes disruptions amongst the male students and teachers. One of the girls, Elfriede, becomes the subject of romantic interest from both a classmate and her strict teacher, ultimately opting for the latter. At the end all three girls pass their exams with full marks.
Cast Heinrich George as Brodersen, Studiendirektor Peter Voß as Studienassesor Dr. Kerner Hertha Thiele as Elfriede Albing, Abiturientin Marieluise Claudius as Christa von Borck, Abiturientin Albert Lieven as Knud Sengebusch, Abiturient Paul Henckels as Dr. Hepp, Lehrer Albert Florath as Nehring, Musiklehrer Sabine Peters as Annelore Winkel, Abiturientin Rolf Kästner as Bert Fredereksen, Abiturient Carsta Löck as Stine Nockelmann, Tochter des Hausmeister Herbert Hübner as Dr. Albing Paul Mederow as Dr. Stahnke, Lehrer Julius E. Herrmann as Dr. Steffenhagen, Lehrer Hermann Noack as Fritz Hannemann, Abiturient Jochen Kuhlmey as Walter Mettke, Klassen-Primus Horst Beck as Karl Maier, Abiturient Hans Engelhardt as Willi Holzhüter, Abiturient Dieter Horn as Franz Möller, Abiturient Friedrich Karl as Erwin Pape, Quintaner Hugo Froelich as Nockelmann, Hausmeister Anneliese Würtz as Frau Nockelmann Else Bötticher as Frau Albing Fritz Reiff as Herr Sengebusch Nany Mangelsdorf as Frau Mettke Ellen Geyer as Dienstmädchen bei Dr. Kerner Jochen Blume as Andreas Bolz, Abiturient H.J. Wieland as Otto Ohlerich, Abiturient Herbert Stockder as Herrmann Puttbrese, Abiturient Andree Hanfmann as Ernst Rauch, Abiturient
Reception Writing for The Spectator in 1936, Graham Greene described the film as entertaining and praised the film's charmingly realistic characterization of both German school masters and their pupils. Greene highlighted the "light lyrical treatment of some of the scenes", adding that while "unsentimental, [the film is] not unkindly [in its depiction] of emotional awkwardness." (reprinted in: )
References
Bibliography Heins, Laura. Nazi Film Melodrama. University of Illinois Press, 2013.
External links