Some have said that mountain films are for Germany what westerns are for the US. I wouldn't fully endorse that, but it has some points going for it.
As the heydays of German mountain films were between the 1920s and 1950s, there is obviously quite an overlap with Hitler's Third Reich (1933-45). And then consider Leni Riefenstahl who started as actress in mountain films, to become one of the most notorious Nazi propaganda film directors.. but I digress.
This movie is set in Switzerland, at some European Ski Championship. Initially we're introduced to the German team of three young men, Turri (Luis Trenker) being the star of them. Funny that he also works as a mountain-climbing guide, a job typically done by local residents.
As plots go, he is adored both by local girl Anni who lives where he lives, and "Mary", daughter of a French businessman/tourist staying at the mountain hotel. Then there's Milacs, another tourist who asks Mary to dance, but is called away by telephone. Rivalry seems to build up... but early next morning, Milacs asks for Turri to bring him up a mountain.
Weather turns very bad, avalanches and all; Turri returns alone, reporting that Milacs fired him and went alone to a mountain cabin. However, a phone call (?) to that cabin reveals that he never arrived, so a search team on skis, with torches, sets out to find Milacs. Great visuals there, especially in a glacier cave.
They don't find him, but a broken ski stick and his rucksack with diary notes indicating that he fears Turri. This evidence suffices to have Turri accused of murder, reported on Paris-Soir.
Turri is arrested, but talks the warden into letting him go for 24h to solve the case, which he does (Milacs hides in another cabin and pretends to be dead to let his wife cash in on his life insurance). Turri drags him down to the valley, and pulled by Mary's motorcycle, just manages to meet his team for the long-distance skiing contest. Guess who won :) Great visuals of people in snow/glaciers. 80 years old, this film still offers some very well-filmed thrills.
As the heydays of German mountain films were between the 1920s and 1950s, there is obviously quite an overlap with Hitler's Third Reich (1933-45). And then consider Leni Riefenstahl who started as actress in mountain films, to become one of the most notorious Nazi propaganda film directors.. but I digress.
This movie is set in Switzerland, at some European Ski Championship. Initially we're introduced to the German team of three young men, Turri (Luis Trenker) being the star of them. Funny that he also works as a mountain-climbing guide, a job typically done by local residents.
As plots go, he is adored both by local girl Anni who lives where he lives, and "Mary", daughter of a French businessman/tourist staying at the mountain hotel. Then there's Milacs, another tourist who asks Mary to dance, but is called away by telephone. Rivalry seems to build up... but early next morning, Milacs asks for Turri to bring him up a mountain.
Weather turns very bad, avalanches and all; Turri returns alone, reporting that Milacs fired him and went alone to a mountain cabin. However, a phone call (?) to that cabin reveals that he never arrived, so a search team on skis, with torches, sets out to find Milacs. Great visuals there, especially in a glacier cave.
They don't find him, but a broken ski stick and his rucksack with diary notes indicating that he fears Turri. This evidence suffices to have Turri accused of murder, reported on Paris-Soir.
Turri is arrested, but talks the warden into letting him go for 24h to solve the case, which he does (Milacs hides in another cabin and pretends to be dead to let his wife cash in on his life insurance). Turri drags him down to the valley, and pulled by Mary's motorcycle, just manages to meet his team for the long-distance skiing contest. Guess who won :) Great visuals of people in snow/glaciers. 80 years old, this film still offers some very well-filmed thrills.
