This is not Bergman's worst performance, in fact, she's adding another nuance to her wideranging, diverse portfolio of phantasy charcters. The working language is opposing her though, in Bergman's self evalidation decent enough for a party conversation, here, her timing reveals to be quite off in the dialogues. Some amount of mystification, at least to the accidential viewer, might involve the timing of her Germany outing, this movie however doesn't present any regime friendly note recognizable to me, and while it's not a masterpiece of subtle dissent either, the overall 50/50 result of female career vs romantic interests, the involvement of leading man Hans Söhnker, co-star Ursula Herking, not least the idea of decorationg the household flagpost with (white) underwear, do have to present the Persilschein for this movie.
7 Reviews
"We are four!"
brogmiller10 December 2023
Prior to her American debut Ingrid Bergman had learnt her craft in her homeland under the guidance of the great director Gustav Molander, notably in 'Intermezzo' and 'A Woman's Face' whilst between 'Intermezzo' and the rather homogenised Hollywood version three years elapsed during which she starred in four films, including this lightweight piece made in Germany for the renowned Carl Froelich, a true pioneer who had made the first German sound film and as president of the Reichsfilmkammer was answerable only to Joseph Goebbels!
Miss Bergman's ability, forceful personality and winning looks very often made her films seem better than they actually were but it is impossible not to be enchanted by the taking performances of the entire cast under Herr Froelich's immaculate direction.
The plot is familiar thanks to Hollywood films of the thirties and forties as a group of females start by trying to make a go of a commercial enterprise and end by landing husbands. It is fascinating to note that the fair-haired Aryan types, Bergman, Carsta Lock and Sabine Peters find romance whilst the dark-haired, distinctly non-Aryan finds fulfilment as a painter and as the latter it is Ursula Herking who proves the most interesting of the quartet.
As a bonus there is another marvellously observed characterisation by inveterate scene-stealer Erich Ponto as a tax inspector. Despite a long and distinguished career in German film he is forever associated with 'Vinkle not Winkle' in 'The Third Man'. Miss Bergman's leading man here is the excellent Hans Sohnker and in their final scene together she is at her most appealing.
One source has stated that this was designed as a star vehicle to launch her film career in Germany after her success in Sweden. She was after all half-German on her mother's side and the Swedes are historically renowned for their 'neutrality' but one cannot help but wonder how her life and films would have turned out had she not reluctantly accepted David O. Selznick's offer. A sobering thought.
Miss Bergman's ability, forceful personality and winning looks very often made her films seem better than they actually were but it is impossible not to be enchanted by the taking performances of the entire cast under Herr Froelich's immaculate direction.
The plot is familiar thanks to Hollywood films of the thirties and forties as a group of females start by trying to make a go of a commercial enterprise and end by landing husbands. It is fascinating to note that the fair-haired Aryan types, Bergman, Carsta Lock and Sabine Peters find romance whilst the dark-haired, distinctly non-Aryan finds fulfilment as a painter and as the latter it is Ursula Herking who proves the most interesting of the quartet.
As a bonus there is another marvellously observed characterisation by inveterate scene-stealer Erich Ponto as a tax inspector. Despite a long and distinguished career in German film he is forever associated with 'Vinkle not Winkle' in 'The Third Man'. Miss Bergman's leading man here is the excellent Hans Sohnker and in their final scene together she is at her most appealing.
One source has stated that this was designed as a star vehicle to launch her film career in Germany after her success in Sweden. She was after all half-German on her mother's side and the Swedes are historically renowned for their 'neutrality' but one cannot help but wonder how her life and films would have turned out had she not reluctantly accepted David O. Selznick's offer. A sobering thought.
"I thought business interest comes before private interest"
hwg1957-102-26570422 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Four young women after leaving art school in Berlin fall on hard times until they decide to get together to form their own company and manage to acquire a design contract with a cigarette company. Their early success is undermined by private interests overcoming their business interests, mainly through romance. This was a charming and entertaining film and although not original plotwise it was carried along by the actresses playing the 'Four Companions', each one giving fine performances; Sabine Peters as Kathe, Carsta Löck as Lotte, Ursula Herking as Franziska and outstanding of all Ingrid Bergman in her only German film as Marianne. Ms. Bergman is luminous and speaks her dialogue in German to boot. There is good location shooting in the city capturing Berlin just before the war mangled it. I enjoyed the movie very much.
A glowing Ingrid Bergman is the main reason to see this curiosity piece
David-2409 July 2023
Warning: Spoilers
An earlier review called this a feminist film but it is the exact opposite. Although not an obvious Nazi propaganda film, it does push the Nazi belief that a woman's place is in the home. From the beginning the film ridicules the women's attempt at having careers and asserts that what they really want is to get married, stay home and look after their husbands. Stefan knows this from the start and just patiently waits for Marianne to get that 'career nonsense' out of her system. Kathe and Lotte run off with their men even sooner than Marianne -although Kathe's pre-marital pregnancy is an unusual addition to the plot. Perhaps the most interesting character is Franziska, who is not given a male love interest and does appear to be pursuing a serious career as an artist (is there even a slight suggestion she may be lesbian? - hard to believe in a Nazi era film). Fortunately there is no blatant propaganda here - there's no anti-semitic dialogue, no one says 'Heil Hitler' and there's not a swastika in sight - maybe that's why Hitler reportedly didn't like the film. The performances of the four leading women are really good but Bergman truly shines out from the screen with all that star quality that would soon launch her into Hollywood stardom. Thank God she didn't hang around in Nazi Germany!
Not only for Ingrid Bergman fans.
mart-453 March 2007
This is a very positive, and a very well made film. It's a down to earth story of four young ladies, who set out to make it a hit in the tough world of advertising. The subject matter is quite realistic, even though the realism is conditional and according to 30s standards - even in poverty and without hot water, the girls wake up in full make up and pretty hair-dos. Things go well, until both men trouble and artistic differences set in. At that point the film turns quite dramatic, and some scenes are handled in quite a modern fashion. The film champions a feminist angle, quite uncommon for a film of that era. It touches several delicate issues, such as premarital pregnancy, without being moralizing or prude. Vier Gesellen is a women's film - the men get a lot less screen time and seem to be nothing more than distracting factors. The camera work and direction are very good, and the way Ingrid Bergman is lit and shot, is excellent. She is very, very beautiful and shows immense amount of talent. No wonder she was snatched to do Intermezzon in USA right after that film. The scenes with her and another very gifted actress, Ursula Herking, are the best in the film. There's also Hans Söhnker who is always solid.
I recommend this film to everyone who is under the impression that films were nothing better than tools for party propaganda in Nazi Germany. Well, one could say that the concept of "strength through friendship" reeks of fascism, but if there's a party that really values friendship, I go for that party any day. This film comes close to the work of Helmut Käutner, who was a great maker of great films about little people, and whose best work came out during the last months of the Third Reich.
The only downside to the otherwise pristine print released in Germany is that there are no subtitles of any kind.
Trivia: During the scene in the movie theatre, the film being screened is 1937's Zu Neuen Ufern, and we hear another Swedish superstar that made it big in Germany, Zarah Leander, singing Tiefe Sehnsucht (Deep Yearning).
I recommend this film to everyone who is under the impression that films were nothing better than tools for party propaganda in Nazi Germany. Well, one could say that the concept of "strength through friendship" reeks of fascism, but if there's a party that really values friendship, I go for that party any day. This film comes close to the work of Helmut Käutner, who was a great maker of great films about little people, and whose best work came out during the last months of the Third Reich.
The only downside to the otherwise pristine print released in Germany is that there are no subtitles of any kind.
Trivia: During the scene in the movie theatre, the film being screened is 1937's Zu Neuen Ufern, and we hear another Swedish superstar that made it big in Germany, Zarah Leander, singing Tiefe Sehnsucht (Deep Yearning).
Ingrid Bergman in German
ignorantbliss-3080227 August 2020
I am glad that Ingrid Bergman did not pursue her career in Germany.
This film, however, is quite interesting considering its time. It is 1938 pre-war Berlin. Four college mates determine to make their living through their arts by establishing an adevrtising company. Bear in mind that movies in 30s and 40s were full of melodrama and romance. So, this is like a fresh air.
Bergman plays Marianne, the leader of the pack. They try to make a living and swear that even loves and men can't deter their allegiance to the company. Like a sisters' pack or something.
Bergman speaks German fluently. It's insane how multilingual she was. One time you hear her in Italian, the other French and this one in German. She looks fresh and beautiful (obviously the most beautiful of the four, duh). Recommended for Bergman fan.
This film, however, is quite interesting considering its time. It is 1938 pre-war Berlin. Four college mates determine to make their living through their arts by establishing an adevrtising company. Bear in mind that movies in 30s and 40s were full of melodrama and romance. So, this is like a fresh air.
Bergman plays Marianne, the leader of the pack. They try to make a living and swear that even loves and men can't deter their allegiance to the company. Like a sisters' pack or something.
Bergman speaks German fluently. It's insane how multilingual she was. One time you hear her in Italian, the other French and this one in German. She looks fresh and beautiful (obviously the most beautiful of the four, duh). Recommended for Bergman fan.
original tittle , Ja ! Ja Die Liebe
cynthiahost12 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I'm having to rewrite this review cause a freeze up wiped the original one out.Your big and small mainstream classic film distributes are biased against distributing German film classics on home video in the U. S. A If they do it's the one's that are the direct propaganda and sutler propaganda , Like Lennie Riefenstahl film's. But a non propaganda film, unless it's world famous like Munchassen, forget it. They are greedy.They serve only the fans of popular film classics and casual viewer's only.The quick buck.They also might be fearing that their target might all of a sudden see Hitler as a good guy.Because of this when T.C.M. had their Ingird Bergman film festival,they didn't include this film because of their bias.This is the only Ingrid Bergman film that she did in Germany.She speaks German perfectly. The four friends played by Ingrid Bergman,Sabine Peters, Ersula Herckings,Carsta Lock. It's graduation at art school.Marianne, played by Ingrid,is angry at the art teacher, played by Hans Sohnker, because he isn't paying attention to her. She's in love with him. Well,after the graduation the four women have trouble finding jobs.Old Adolph exploited an economical Idea at the expense of other human lives but a job in art back then was hard too find. They all meet and decide to pull all their recourses and organize a corporation to offer their services in advertisement.Stepehan, played by Hans, looks as if he own an art business now.They all agree with Marianne to to stave off of men.Then their first success happens. Adveritsement for cigarettes.After that each women starts to meet men in their live's.Christine ,played by Sabine Peter's,meet'Martin, played by Heinz Welzel.Then Lottie, played by Carsta Locks,meet's Hinzie, played by Erich Pronto.Then professor Lang encourages Franziska in her paintings.Before you know it Marianne is all alone.But there is a surprise, Stephan. Zarah Leander makes a small appearance in this film through her voice.The restored version of this film is available in the U.S.A. at German video dot net. I think an older print is available at German language video center. German video dot net offers VHS version if 0 region DVD duplicates don't work in your DVD player. 9th 12th 09th. 2/24/10 I just found the mild propaganda . It is mild. This picture represents Hitlers frustration of being a failed architect, The four women are successful as graphic artist.In the end when Ingird goes back to Hans it's a symbol of Hitler giving up architect and turning to controlling the world. Don't let this bug you.
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