''The Beautiful Galatea'' (german: Die wunderschöne Galathee) is a 1950 West German

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

film directed by

Rolf Meyer Rolf Meyer (12 November 1910 – 3 February 1963) was a German screenwriter, film producer and film director, director. Selected filmography Screenwriter * ''Victoria (1935 film), Victoria'' (1935) * ''Augustus the Strong (film), Augustus the Str ...

and starring

Hannelore Schroth Hannelore Emilie Käte Grete Schroth (; 10 January 1922 – 7 July 1987) was a German film, stage, and television actress whose career spanned over five decades. Career Born in Berlin in 1922, she was the daughter of popular stage and film actor ...

Viktor de Kowa Viktor de Kowa (also spelled Victor de Kowa, born Victor Paul Karl Kowalczyk; 8 March 1904 – 8 April 1973) was a German stage and film actor, chanson singer, director, narrator, and comic poet. Life He was born the son of a farmer and engineer ...

and

Willy Fritsch Willy Fritsch (27 January 1901 – 13 July 1973) was a German theater and film actor, a popular leading man and character actor from the silent-film era to the early 1960s. Biography Early life He was born Wilhelm Egon Fritz Fritsch, the only s ...

. It is inspired by the story of

Pygmalion Pygmalion or Pigmalion may refer to: Mythology * Pygmalion (mythology), a sculptor who fell in love with his statue Stage * ''Pigmalion'' (opera), a 1745 opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau * ''Pygmalion'' (Rousseau), a 1762 melodrama by Jean-Jacques ...

's statue Galatea and is based on the play of the same name by Franz von Suppè. It was shot at the Bendestorf Studios and the

Tempelhof Studios The Tempelhof Studios are a film studio located in Tempelhof in the German capital of Berlin. They were founded in 1912, during the silent era, by German film pioneer Alfred Duskes, who built a glass-roofed studio on the site with financial back ...

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

. The film's sets were designed by

Franz Schroedter Franz Schroedter (9 May 1897 – 14 November 1968) was a German art director.Giesen p.212 Selected filmography * '' The Black Count'' (1920) * ''The Dance of Love and Happiness'' (1921) * ''The New Paradise'' (1921) * '' The Queen of Whitechapel ...

Plot

During the first 18 years of the

20th century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...

, in a small town, two men, the sculptor Viktor Kolin and the ''

Kapellmeister (, also , ) from German ''Kapelle'' (chapel) and ''Meister'' (master)'','' literally "master of the chapel choir" designates the leader of an ensemble of musicians. Originally used to refer to somebody in charge of music in a chapel, the term ha ...

'' Marcel Thomas work on the Galathée theme, each in his own way. While one tries to approach the Galathée in a musical way, the other plans to carton the nymph in stone. Viktor has already chosen a young woman to model for the statue: it is the young Leni, a simple girl from the people who works as a temp at the vegetable market. Leni feels very flattered and promptly falls in love with Viktor, making her a competitor of the singer Victoria Mertens, the sculptor's girlfriend. Viktor on the other hand, also shows interest in Victoria, which gives the erotic round additional piquancy. Upon completing his masterpiece, Marcel suddenly loses interest in Leni, who had hoped that the sculpture would attract him more to her. Full of anger, she goes to his studio and smashes the artwork. A court case is scheduled, and only then does Viktor realizes Leni's true feelings. Following the court order, he no longer opposes Victoria's decision to marry Kapellmeister Thomas.

Cast

as Leni Fink *

as Viktor Kolin *

as Marcel Thomas *Gisela Schmidting as Victoria Mertens *

Margarete Haagen Margarete Haagen (29 November 1889 – 19 November 1966) was a German stage and film actress. Haagen appeared in over a hundred films during her career, generally in character roles. She specialised in playing good-natured elderly ladies. Fol ...

as Anastasia *

Erna Sellmer Erna Elisabeth Dorothea Sellmer (19 June 1905 – 13 May 1983) was a German film actress. She was best known in the English-speaking world for her role as housekeeper Frau Gerber in the 1970s Swiss-Canadian television series ''George'' about a St ...

*Hans Schwarz Jr. *

Ernst Waldow Ernst Waldow (22 August 1893 – 5 June 1964) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 160 films during his career. Selected filmography * ''Rübezahl's Wedding'' (1916) * '' Sin of a Beautiful Woman'' (1929) *''The Green Domino'' (1935 ...

* Edda Seippel *

Franz Schafheitlin Franz Schafheitlin (9 August 1895 – 6 February 1980) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1927 and 1974. He was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Pullach, Germany. Selected filmography * '' The Bordellos ...

Werner Stock Werner Bruno Wilhelm Hermann Stock (20 October 1903 – 30 April 1972) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 130 films and television shows between 1932 and 1971. Selected filmography * ''Spoiling the Game'' (1932) * ''Decoy'' (1934 ...

Albert Florath Albert Peter Adam Florath (7 December 1888, Bielefeld – 11 March 1957, Gaildorf) was a German stage and film actor. Early life and education Born to Joseph Florath, a locksmith, and his wife Matilda, née Burkart, he attended school in Brak ...

References

External links

* 1950 romantic comedy films 1950s historical comedy films German romantic comedy films West German films Films directed by Rolf Meyer German historical romance films Films about fictional painters Films set in the 1900s German black-and-white films Films shot at Tempelhof Studios 1950s German films {{1950s-Germany-film-stub