The return of ‘Lili Marlene’

Press, 28 May 1981, Page 14

The return of ‘Lili Marlene’

hons petrovic

A new work by West Germany's Rainer Werner Fassbinder, "Lili Marlene," is attracting considerable attention in the international film world. With first-rate camerawork and a good cast (Hanna Schygulla, Mel Ferrer and Giancarlo Giannini) the film tells the story of the song, “Lili Marlene,” and of Laie Andersen, the woman who sang it.

During World War 11, the song was broadcast every evening by the German Forces Radio Station in Belgrade. often causing the guns to fall silent for a few minutes on. all fronts and making soldiers dream of peace.

Fassbinder is considered the “most productive German film-maker." Born in 1946, Fassbinder is simultaneously an actor and film author, and was, at one time, the director of the “Theater am Turm,” in Frankfurt. Incessantly active, he is always involved in his next project. Earlier this year, he wanted to begin filming “Cocaine” with an international cast and, after that, “Lola” (based on Heinrich Mann's novel. "Professor Unrat”) and Simmel’s “Hurrah, We’re Still Alive.” The fact that the German film today once again enjoys international prestige is partly due to Fassbinder. Staring out at Munich's Kammerspiele, he acquired his initial acting experience in a private Munich studio theatre. In 1967, Fassbinder joined the “Action Theater” in Munich, where he worked as a director for the first time and produced his own play, “Katzelmacher.” A year later, Fassbinder founded the “antitheater,” an actors’ collective that soon attracted attention to itself because of its unconventional theatre, film and television productions.

With his film of “Katzel-

macher." Fassbinder won his first important prizes, including Golden Film Strips for best script, director, production and camera work at the 1970 Berlin Film Festival. Fassbinder then made numerous film, and television productions in rapid succession. including the socially critical television series entitled “Eight Hours Are Not A Day” and the internationally very successful films “Fear Eats up Soul,” “Effi Briest." “Despair” and “The Marriage of Maria Braun.” He has repeatedly staged plays. At Berlin's Freie Volksbuhne, he directed Ibsen's “Hedda Gabler.” and at Frankfurt’s Experimenta, his own play, “The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant.” Fassbinder. who was awarded the Luchino Visconti Prize by Italian film critics and theatre owners in 1979, has continued to appear as an actor in films and on television.

The “New York Times" wrote on the occasion of a Fassbinder retrospective in the United States, at which 12 of his films were shown, that his works are brimming with originality and often run artistic risks.

Fassbinder is, according to the “New York Times.” the most gifted, most fruitful and most fascinating young

film-maker in Western Europe. When, in the mid-19605, voung German film-makers were rebelling against the cinema of their fathers with their first productions. Fassbinder also appeared on the scene. In his first full-length feature film. "Love Is Colder Than Death” (1969). a young actress called Hanna Schygulla had her debut. Since then she has been considered Fassbinders “muse.” having played leading roles in most of his films. Now, if Fassbinder has his way, she will finally attain world fame in the role of "Lili Marlene." Hanna Schygulla was born on Christmas Day. 1943. in Kattowitz, Upper Silesia. She grew up in Munich where, after a short stay in Paris as an “au pair” girl, she registered at the University of Munich, studying German literature and Romance languages with the intention of becoming a teacher. She attended acting school on the side, where she met Fassbinder who soon asked her to join the ensemble of his “antitheater,” with its reputation for anti-bourgeois iconoclasm. Their co-operation proved to be so fruitful that Fassbinder, who was establishing a

name for himself as Germany's most productive filmmaker. began working with her on what has become virtually a permanent basis. But it was precisely at this point that she felt she had reached an impasse. After seven years of working with Fassbinder, she felt empty, hollow. She was afraid" of becoming bogged down in a routine. She aid not want to merely “function” but rather expose herself to the process of finding herself. She moved to the country, rehearsed plays with children, devoted herself to painting, yoga, meditation. She went on trips through the Netherlands. Switzerland and hitchhiked for three months in the United States from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast. In 1978, Fassbinder re engaged her for the title role in “The Marriage of Maria Braun,” (last year's film festival). The huge success of this film became the basis for further joint projects: Doblin’s “Berlin-Alexander-platz” and, showing in 100 cinemas in West Germany in January. “Lili Marlene,” a powerfully attractive (although heavily attacked by film critics) melodrama about the most famous song to come out of World War 11.