' ("Girls in Uniform") is a 1931 German

romantic drama Romance films involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion (emotion), passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their ...

film based on the

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

' (''Yesterday and Today'') by Christa Winsloe and directed by

Leontine Sagan Leontine Sagan (born Leontine Schlesinger; 13 February 1889 – 20 May 1974) was a theatre director and actress of Jewish descent, whose life and career took her from the Austro-Hungarian Empire to South Africa, Britain and the United States. ...

with artistic direction from

Carl Froelich Carl August Hugo Froelich (5 September 1875 – 12 February 1953) was a German film pioneer and film director. He was born and died in Berlin. Biography Apparatus builder and cameraman From 1903 Froelich was a colleague of Oskar Messter, one of ...

, who also funded the film. Winsloe also wrote the screenplay and was on the set during filming. Due to the film's overt and openly lesbian themes, the film remains an international

cult classic A cult following is a group of Fan (person), fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some List of art media, medium. The latter is often cal ...

and enjoys widespread acclaim from critics.

Plot

Manuela von Meinhardis, whose mother died when she was young and whose father serves in the military, is enrolled at an all-girls boarding school headed by the traditional and iron-fisted Fräulein von Nordeck zur Nidden. Manuela feels out of place in this strict environment. After witnessing Fräulein von Bernburg's compassion for the other girls, Manuela develops a passionate love for her teacher. The first spark of love begins with a goodnight kiss. Manuela receives this goodnight kiss on her first night at the school and, while the teacher normally gives all the girls a goodnight kiss on the forehead, Fräulein von Bernburg kisses her on the lips. After not knowing her recitation for Fräulein von Bernburg's class, Manuela is asked to meet her in her room. Fräulein von Bernburg comments on the state of Manuela's clothes and gives Manuela one of her own petticoats. Manuela begins to weep and, after some time, confesses her love to Fräulein von Bernburg, who says that she cannot give Manuela special treatment. Shortly after, Ilsa von Westhagen, another student, writes a letter to her parents about the conditions of the school and has a worker smuggle it out. When the girls prepare to put on the play Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller for the headmistress's birthday, Manuela plays the lead male role, Don Carlos. Ilsa is also supposed to play a large role but is not allowed to perform after her letter is returned to the school. The play is a success, and Fräulein von Bernburg is moved. During the afterparty, the girls are served punch containing alcohol. Manuela drunkenly confesses her love for Fräulein von Bernburg and tells everyone about the petticoat. The headmistress overhears and Manuela passes out after her speech. The headmistress puts her in solitary, but Manuela is moved out of solitary when the princess arrives at the school. After the duchess leaves, the headmistress scolds Fräulein von Bernburg's closeness with her students. Fräulein von Bernburg calls Manuela to her office and explains that Manuela is never to speak to her again. Upon leaving Fräulein's von Bernburg's office, Manuela prepares to jump from several stories up in the main staircase. The girls save her, and both Fräulein von Bernburg and the headmistress are shaken. The movie ends with all the girls watching the headmistress as she slowly walks down the stairwell and down the hall in shaken silence.

Cast

Production

Winsloe's stage play had previously appeared under the title ' (''Knight Nérestan'') in Leipzig with

Hertha Thiele Hertha Thiele (8 May 1908 – 5 August 1984) was a German actress. She is noted for her starring roles in then controversial stage plays and films produced during Germany's Weimar Republic and the early years of the Third Reich. After the post-w ...

and Claire Harden in the lead roles. After Leipzig the play was produced on the stage in Berlin as ' with a different cast and a more prominent lesbian theme, which was again toned down somewhat for the film. Having mostly played the same roles on stage, the cast was able to produce the film at speed and on a low budget of . It was largely shot at the

Potsdam Potsdam () is the capital and largest city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Brandenburg. It is part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. Potsdam sits on the Havel, River Havel, a tributary of the Elbe, downstream of B ...

military orphanage, now a teacher training college for women. Carl Froelich's studio in Berlin-

Tempelhof Tempelhof () is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. It is the location of the former Tempelhof Airport, one of the earliest commercial airports in the world. The former airport and surroundings are now a park call ...

was also used. The film's original working title was ' (''Yesterday and Today'') but this was thought too insipid and changed to increase the chances of box-office success. Although sound had only been used for two years in cinema, it was used artfully. The film was groundbreaking in having an all-female cast; in its sympathetic portrayal of lesbian "pedagogical eros" (see

Gustav Wyneken Gustav Wyneken (1875–1964) was a German pedagogue and founder of the Wickersdorf Free School Community. He was also a leader in the German Youth Movement and briefly contributed to school policy during the German revolutionary period after ...

) and

homoeroticism Homoeroticism is sexual attraction between members of the same sex, including both male–male and female–female attraction. The concept differs from the concept of homosexuality: it refers specifically to the desire itself, which can be tempor ...

, revolving around the passionate love of a fourteen-year-old (Manuela) for her teacher (von Bernburg); and in its co-operative and profit-sharing financial arrangements (although these failed). After many screen tests, Winsloe had insisted that her friend Thiele play the lead role. Director Sagan preferred Gina Falckenberg who had done the role on stage in Berlin, but along with having played Manuela in Leipzig, Thiele had played a young lesbian in Ferdinand Bruckner's stage play ' (''The Creature'') and although 23 years old when filming began, she was considered to be more capable of portraying a 14-year-old girl.

Reaction

The film had some impact in the Berlin lesbian clubs, but was largely eclipsed by the ongoing cult success of ''

The Blue Angel ''The Blue Angel'' () is a 1930 German musical comedy-drama film directed by Josef von Sternberg and starring Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings and Kurt Gerron. Written by Carl Zuckmayer, Karl Vollmöller and Robert Liebmann, with uncredite ...

'' (1930). The film did, however, generate large amounts of fan mail to the stars from all over Germany and was considered a success throughout much of Europe. The goodnight kiss Hertha Thiele (Manuela) received from Dorothea Wieck (Fräulein von Bernburg) was especially popular. One distributor even asked for more footage of other kisses like it to splice into prints of the film. From its premiere at the Capitol cinema in Berlin until 1934, the film is said to have grossed some . Despite the collective nature of the filming for which cast and crew received only a quarter of the normal wage, none saw a share of the six million

Reichsmark The (; sign: ℛ︁ℳ︁; abbreviation: RM) was the currency of Germany from 1924 until the fall of Nazi Germany in 1945, and in the American, British and French occupied zones of Germany, until 20 June 1948. The Reichsmark was then replace ...

s and Thiele later hinted that the profits had been mostly retained by the producers. The film was distributed outside Germany and was a huge success in Romania. During a 1980 interview, Thiele said the school play scene caused a " longstockings and kissing" cult when the film was first shown there. It was also distributed in Japan, the United States, England and France. ''Mädchen in Uniform'' won the audience referendum for Best Technical Perfection at the

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

in 1932 and received the Japanese Kinema Junpo Award for Best Foreign Language Film (Tokyo, 1934). Later, an alternate ending which subtly pandered to Nazi ideals enabled continued screening in German cinemas. Eventually even this version of the film was banned as "decadent" by the Nazi regime, which reportedly attempted to burn all of the existing prints. By then, though, several had been dispersed around the world. Leontine Sagan (director) and many others associated with the film fled Germany soon after the banning. Many of the cast and crew were Jewish, and those who could not escape from Germany died in the camps. Assistant director Walter Supper killed himself when it became clear his Jewish wife would be arrested. Despite its later banning, ' was followed by several German films about intimate relationships among women, such as ' ('' Eight Girls in a Boat'', 1932) and '' Anna and Elizabeth'' (1933), which also starred Wieck and Thiele but was banned by the Nazis soon after its opening night along with the Nazi propaganda film '' I for You, You for Me'' (''Me for You, You for Me'', 1934). The film is said to have inspired the 1949 novel ''Olivia'' by

Dorothy Bussy Dorothy Bussy ( Strachey; 24 July 1865 – 1 May 1960) was an English novelist and translator, close to the Bloomsbury Group. Family background and childhood Dorothy Bussy was a member of the Strachey family. Her mother was suffragist J ...

, which treats very similar themes, and which was made into a French film ''

Olivia Olivia may refer to: People and fictional characters * Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Olivia (singer), American singer Olivia Longott (born 1981) * Olívia (basketball), Brazilian basketball playe ...

'' (1951) directed by

Jacqueline Audry Jacqueline Audry (25 September 1908 – 22 June 1977) was a French film director who began making films in post-World War II France and specialised in literary adaptations. She was the first commercially successful female director of post-war ...

. There is a German remake of the film produced in 1958. ''Mädchen in Uniform'' (1958) was directed by

Géza von Radványi Géza von Radványi (born Géza Grosschmid; 26 September 1907 – 27 November 1986) was a Hungarian film director, cinematographer, producer and writer. Biography Born Géza Grosschmid, he took the name Radványi from his paternal grandmother ...

and starred

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Hollywood productions, earning a Golden Glob ...

Romy Schneider Rosemarie Magdalena Albach (23 September 1938 – 29 May 1982), known professionally as Romy Schneider (), was a German and French actress. She is regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses of all time and became a cult figure due to ...

, and

Therese Giehse Therese Giehse (; 6 March 1898 – 3 March 1975), born Therese Gift, was a German actress. Born in Munich to German-Jewish parents, she first appeared on the stage in 1920. She became a major star on stage, in films, and in political cabaret. In ...

. In this remake, the political criticism on the Prussian Center and the love story between the main characters was played down. Manuela comes to see Fräulein von Bernburg as a motherly figure rather than a romantic one. There was another remake made in Mexico in 1950. The film is entitled '' Muchachas de uniforme'' and was directed by Alfredo B. Crevenna. Other films that were inspired by the themes in ''Mädchen in Uniform'' are ''

Lost and Delirious ''Lost and Delirious'', ''Rebelles'' in French, is a 2001 Canadian drama film directed by Léa Pool, and based on the novel ''The Wives of Bath'' by Susan Swan. ''Lost and Delirious'' is told from the perspective of Mary (Mischa Barton), who obser ...

'' (Lea Pool, Canada 2001) and '' Loving Annabella'' (Katherine Brooks, 2006). ''Mädchen in Uniform'' was also the inspiration for René Pollesch's play ''Mädchen in Uniform -- Wege aus der Selbstverwirklichung'' at the German Playhouse in Hamburg (2010). Since the film's release, ''Mädchen in Uniform's'' message - and by extension what the movie symbolizes - has been widely debated by critics; with Christa Winsloe's and

's intention to make the movie contested. B. Ruby Rich believes it to be, among other things, "a film about sexual repression in the name of social harmony, about the absent patriarchy and its forms of presence, about bonds between women which represent attraction instead of repulsion, and about the release of powers that can accompany the identification of a lesbian sexuality." While very few analyses question the film's queer messaging, there is a more contentious debate about whether the film is an effective allegory for the 1930s world and the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party. In his 1947 book '' From Caligari to Hitler'', German film critic

Siegfried Kracauer Siegfried Kracauer (; ; February 8, 1889 – November 26, 1966) was a German writer, journalist, sociologist, cultural critic, and film theorist. He has sometimes been associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory. He is notable for ...

argues that the film fails to fully break away from the authoritarian rule as "in the whole film, there is no hint of the possibility that authoritarian behavior might be superseded by democratic behavior." This, according to Kracauer, exists in several places from the character of Fräulein Von Bernberg, the treatment of Manuela and the ending of the film where the headmistress is forced out of the school after Manuela's attempted suicide. The bugles that conclude the film symbolise to Kraucer "that the principle of authority has not been shaken. The headmistress will continue to wield the scepter. And any possible softening of authoritarian discipline would only be in the interest of its preservation." Many people have refuted this argument however, including Nina Zimink who agrees that the bugle fair does symbolize that not everything is perfect after the departure of the headmistress, states that they signify "optimistic political development" in a world that is quite bleak. Whilst some critics, like Lisa Ohm and Lotte H. Eisner, agreed with Siegfried's argument in one regard or another, the primary perspective is to move away from this critical view . Rich, who championed the film as unabashedly queer, states that "intrusion to the film is an antidote to viewing this all-female space as a "free zone" within a patriarchal society, which can be seen to dominate not only in the concrete form of the staircase or Principal, but in the equally threatening form of external authority that waits just outside the school gates". There are also thinkers like Veronika Mayer who call the film "liberating" especially when placed in contrast to the 1958 film that is far more timid about the lesbian relationship between Manuela and Fräulein Von Bernburg, opting instead to present it as maternal connection.

Censorship and surviving version

On October 1, 1931, a ban was placed on ''Mädchen in Uniform'' at the first inspection committee showing which forbad young people from viewing. On April 8, 1932, the decision for a 2480m shortened version was confirmed. The film was released internationally and was very successful. The film had success particularly in Japan, the USA, France, Great Britain, and Mexico. In 1934 the film brought in 6 million Reichsmarks, while the production costs were only 55,000 Reichsmarks. During the National Socialist rule in Germany, Mädchen in Uniform was banned by

Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and philologist who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief Propaganda in Nazi Germany, propagandist for the Nazi Party, and ...

, the Reich Minister of Propaganda. The film was only allowed to be shown abroad. This ban was not so much about the lesbian theme of the film, but rather the depictions of Prussian ruthlessness and the criticisms on authority and discipline. At the FSK-Test on December 8, 1949, the film was approved again and the restrictions were lifted. The film was then unofficially distributed as a video shown in women's centers. After that, the first public reproduction was in 1977 when a West German broadcasting organization decided to broadcast the film. The film was almost banned in the U.S., but

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt ( ; October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, first lady of the United States, during her husband Franklin D ...

spoke highly of the film, resulting in the film getting a limited release in the US in 1932–33. Prints of the film survived the war, but it was censored heavily until the 1970s, and it was not shown again in Germany until 1977 when it was screened on television. In 1978,

Janus Films Janus Films is an American film distribution company. The distributor is credited with introducing numerous films, now considered masterpieces of world cinema, to American audiences, including the films of Michelangelo Antonioni, Sergei Eisenstein ...

and Arthur Krim arranged for a limited re-release in the US in 35mm, including a screening at the Roxie Cinema in San Francisco. Also in 1978, the film was released in its surviving form by Janus Films on

VHS VHS (Video Home System) is a discontinued standard for consumer-level analog video recording on tape cassettes, introduced in 1976 by JVC. It was the dominant home video format throughout the tape media period of the 1980s and 1990s. Ma ...

with English subtitles. Versions were released in the U.S. (1994) and the UK (2000) by the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

Present day views

The film has had a lasting impact, both for its boldness in depicting lesbian desires and relationships free from censorship but also for its ability to depict the German political landscape of the 1930s despite being set in pre-World War One

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

. Whilst critics like

and Lisa Ohm were critical of the film for being too timid on fascism, many contemporary and present-day thinkers have commended the film for its commentary on such matters.

Stephen Spender Sir Stephen Harold Spender (28 February 1909 – 16 July 1995) was an English poet, novelist and essayist whose work concentrated on themes of social injustice and the class struggle. He was appointed U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry ...

, an English poet and novelist who was a close friend of the writer

Christopher Isherwood Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood (26 August 1904 – 4 January 1986) was an Anglo-American novelist, playwright, screenwriter, autobiographer, and diarist. His best-known works include '' Goodbye to Berlin'' (1939), a semi-autobiographical ...

, was immensely critical of texts like the musical ''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

'', based on Isherwood's ''

Goodbye to Berlin ''Goodbye to Berlin'' is a 1939 novel by Anglo-American writer Christopher Isherwood set during the waning days of the Weimar Republic. The novel recounts Isherwood's 1929–1932 sojourn as a pleasure-seeking British expatriate on the eve of Ado ...

'', stating that "there is not a single meal, or club, in the movie ''Cabaret'', that Christopher and I could have afforded." and yet heralded ''Mädchen in Uniform'' a "masterpiece" for how it was able to present the contemporary environment. On February 18, 2021, the

featured the film in a Big Screen Classics season that primarily centered queer films like '' Maurice'', ''

Brokeback Mountain ''Brokeback Mountain'' is a 2005 American neo-Western romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee and produced by Diana Ossana and James Schamus. Adapted from Brokeback Mountain (short story), the 1997 short story by Annie Proulx, the screenplay ...

'', and ''

Desert Hearts ''Desert Hearts'' is a 1985 American romantic drama film directed by Donna Deitch. The screenplay, written by Natalie Cooper, is an adaptation of the 1964 lesbian novel '' Desert of the Heart'' by Jane Rule. Set in Reno, Nevada in 1959, it ...

'', stating that "its call for revolutionary empathy is... timeless" a fact amplified by how the film was one of the oldest ones featured in the season. The same year, on November 30, 2021, a

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films". A "sister company" of arthouse film distributo ...

version of the film was released. As a company, Criterion is dedicated to "publishing important classic and contemporary films from around the world... in state-of-the-art restorations with special features designed to encourage repeated watching and deepen the viewer's appreciation of the art of film."

Amanda Lee Koe Amanda Lee Koe (born ) is a Singapore-born, New York-based novelist and short story writer. She is best known for her debut novel, ''Delayed Rays of a Star'' (2019), which was named one of NPR's Best Books of 2019, and for being the youngest wi ...

stated in an essay that accompanied the release of the Criterion edition, that "This film belongs to women who are trying to find themselves—and each other—in spite of repressive structures".

Quotations from the film

*"Through discipline and hunger we will become great" (Spoken by the headmistress in reference to disciplining the students) *"What you call sin, I call the great spirit of love, which takes a thousand forms." (Spoken by Fräulein Von Bernburg in reference to the boycott.) *"I love you so, but you're always so distant. I can't ever go to your room, or talk to you" (Manuela discussing her feelings with Fräulein Von Bernburg) *"Almost all the girls here have a crush on Miss von Bernburg. Oh, God! When I finally don't have to listen to that anymore. "Ilse! I envy you! You're in her dormitory! Oh, gosh, gosh, gosh! Tell me, is it true that she kisses you at night?" (Ilse von Westhagen introducing Fräulein von Bernburg to Manuela) *"I fear nothing. Yes! Everybody should know! Long live our beloved Miss von Bernburg!" (Manuela)

In popular culture

* In Anthony Powell's novel ''

The Acceptance World ''The Acceptance World'' is the third book of Anthony Powell's twelve novel sequence, ''A Dance to the Music of Time''. Nick Jenkins continues the narration of his life and encounters with friends and acquaintances in London between 1931 and 193 ...

'' (1955), the narrator, Nick Jenkins, is re-united with his first major love, Jean Templer, after Jean and her sister-in-law, Mona, have returned to the Ritz (London) on New Year's Eve 1931, following a screening of the film. Jean is accompanied by her brother Peter. Nick (who has seen the film) is mildly mocked by his old schoolfriend Peter (who has not), for saying that the film is not primarily about lesbians. * In the film ''

Henry & June ''Henry & June'' is a 1990 American biographical drama film directed by Philip Kaufman, and starring Fred Ward, Uma Thurman, and Maria de Medeiros. It is loosely based on the posthumously published 1986 Anaïs Nin book of the same name, ...

'' (1990), this is one of the films shown in the small art-house theater frequented by the main characters. *The film ''

Loving Annabelle ''Loving Annabelle'' is a 2006 American romantic drama film written and directed by Katherine Brooks. Inspired by the 1931 German film ''Mädchen in Uniform'', it tells the story of a boarding school student who falls in love with her teacher. ...

'' (2006) was reportedly inspired by ''Mädchen in Uniform''. *The album ''Mädchen in Uniform'' (2009) by the Austrian band Nachtmahr.

References

External links

*
''Mädchen in Uniform''
at the

Synopsis, essay and 1980 interview with Hertha ThielePhotographs and bibliographyVideographic study of the three versions of ''Mädchen in Uniform'' with essay about the Mexican remake
{{DEFAULTSORT:Madchen In Uniform 1931 films 1931 romantic drama films 1930s German-language films 1930s LGBTQ-related films Films set in boarding schools Films about educators Films about teacher–student relationships Films featuring an all-female cast Films of the Weimar Republic German black-and-white films German films based on plays German LGBTQ-related films German romantic drama films Lesbian-related films LGBTQ-related romantic drama films 1930s German films Films scored by Hanson Milde-Meissner German-language romantic drama films