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"Frühlingslied" is one of the many "Heimat films" made in West Germany during the 1950s. As soon as you see children and the Alps, you know you are looking at a Heimat film as this film as both in abundance and evens adds a pooch. The title translates "Song of Spring". The plot as a Heidi-like twist although the rich city child here is a boy--Wolfgang. A HBC reader tells us that it was a real tearjeaker. The movie was directed by Hans Albin. The screen play was written by Peter Francke. The main character was played by Oliver Grimm. Oliver just began making movies in 1952 and already he has a starring role.
"Frühlingslied" is one of the many "Heimat films" made in West Germany after World War II during the late-1940s and 50s. The trgedy of the War and interestingly the Economic Miracle of the 50s created a great demands for nostalgic films. As soon as you see children and the Alps, you know you are looking at a Heimat film as this film had both in abundance.
The title translates "Song of Spring". The movie was directed by Hans Albin. The screen play was written by Peter Francke. The movie was directed by Hans Albin. The screen play was written by Peter Francke. The film was dubbed in Italian and run as "Piccoli amici"--"Little Friends." (Italy). As far as I know it was never relased in American and Britain. The dubbed Italian version "Piccoli amici" translated is
The movie takes place in Switzerland. Little Wolfgang lives in Lucerne, but is sent to recover to the Bernese Oberland (official English translation). (Oberland = uplands).
The main character was played by Oliver Grimm. Oliver just began making movies in 1952 and already he has a starring role. The girl with Oliver Grimm is Elsbeth Sigmund
who became popular as "Heidi." The cast also included:
Elsbeth Sigmund
Martin Andreas
Anne-Marie Blanc
René Deltgen
Albert Lieven
Heinrich Gretler
Leonard Steckel
Bobby Todd
Renate Feuereisen
Erna Sellmer
Karl Supper
Anneliese Betschart
Anne-Marie Hanschke (as Annemarie Hanschke), and
Willy Frey.
At the age of three, little Wolfgang has lost his parents. Since then his uncle Eduard raises the boy. As a former concertmaster Eduard has recognized how gifted his nephew is and the boy learns the hard way. The 6-year-old
must practice daily 6 hours at the piano and already impresses at famous music parties. When Eduard Fabricius breaks a leg after a concert in Lucerne and must go to the hospital, he can be persuaded by a paediatrician to grant some carefree vacation weeks in a manor for Wolfgang. The manor belongs to the young widow Elisabeth who soon grows very fond of the little boy. Wolfgang makes friends with 11-year-old Heidi and Jöggi, a boy his age who
first saw a rival in him. When Wolfgang saves a young dog from a mountain stream, however, he gets pneumonia, and Elisabeth worries about him. But when he recovers, his uncle fetches him. A strenuous concert tour begins.
One day at the piano the boy breaks down. Eduard Fabricius recognizes that he has demanded too much of his nephew, and finally makes up his mind.
We have not seen the film so we do not have a lot of information about the costuming. Some stills give some insights on the costuming. The main character seems dresses rather stylishly for a Heimat fim. Here we see him wearing a dressy looking short-sleeve shirt and pants that ibviously set him off as a city boy (figure 1). His friend wears what looks like a dress and pinafore. This looks more like a country outfit and they are in the country. Another image shows the boy wearing a Tton-syle blazer with short pants withouta tie. The girl in this still wears a more stylish dress. The children look to be in a ciy park. .
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