Lili Marleen *** (1981, Hanna Schygulla, Giancarlo Giannini, Mel Ferrer) – Classic Movie Review 6186

Co-writer/ director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s intriguing and stylish looking 1981 German film surprisingly overflows with sentiment and self-importance, and lacks the satiric bite and critical awareness of his best work.

However, in other ways it is fascinating as a typical Fassbinder film with its detachment from reality, its high style, startling imagery in Xavier Schwarzenberger’s cinematography, striking production designs, and its homage to period Hollywood melodrama. And a fine performance by Hanna Schygulla holds the centre firm and strong.

The screenplay by Manfred Purzer (original screenplay), Joshua Sinclair and Fassbinder is based on the real life Lale Andersen’s book The Sky Has Many Colours. In the story, Willie (Schygulla), a famous World War Two German singer, and Robert (Giancarlo Giannini), a Swiss Jewish composer of music helping refugees from the Nazis, are tragically parted by the war, and the only means of communication for them is her even more famous title song, Lili Marleen.

Also in the cast are Mel Ferrer, Karl-Heinz Von Hassel, Christine Kauffman, Udo Kier, Hark Boem, Karin Baal, Erik Schumann, Gottfried John, Adrian Hoven and Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

It is produced by Enzo Peri and Luggi Waldleitner, scored by Peer Raben and designed by Rolf Zehetbauer.

It was West Germany’s official Foreign Language Film submission at the 54th Academy Awards but failed to be nominated.

See also Lilli Marlene (1950), with Lisa Daniely, Hugh McDermott, John Blythe and Stanley Baker.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6186

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