Im weißen Rössl - Wehe, du singst!

Life doesn't mean well for Ottilie Giesecke (Diana Amft) from Berlin. Her boyfriend has just broken up with her in a rather unpleasant way, and in a few days she has an important presentation coming up that could make or break her professional career. So it's no wonder that Ottilie's nerves are on edge right now. So she really doesn't need her father Wilhelm (Armin Rohde) turning up unannounced and trying to persuade her to go on a short trip to Lake Wolfgang. With a heavy heart, Ottilie accepts the invitation and is astonished when, a short time later, she finds herself in a world where the sky is a kitschy blue and people sing their permanent cheerfulness at the top of their lungs. When she meets the handsome Dr. Otto Seidler (Tobias Licht), he is so taken with Ottilie's gruffness that he unceremoniously proposes marriage. For the big city girl, this is the final proof that she has landed here in pure kitsch hell and is surrounded only by lunatics. But the more time she spends in the White Horse Inn, the more the pure lust for life, love and singing rubs off on Ottilie. And so she becomes part of a story that is not only about unrequited love, but also about the continued existence of the Rössl.

With Im weißen Rössl - Wehe, du singst! director Christian Theede ventures a new interpretation of the popular 1930 singspiel by Ralph Benatzky, which in turn was based on a comedy from 1896. The play has already been filmed several times, with the 1952 adaptation and the 1960 adaptation starring Peter Alexander enjoying particular popularity. Thus, a new film adaptation of the material was a real risk in two respects. For one thing, musical comedies are simply no longer particularly popular in German cinema. Even big musical productions, which attract millions to cinemas in the USA, have a hard time finding a broad audience in this country. On the other hand, a remake must inevitably measure up to the other adaptations, especially among such audiences who know and love other versions of the story.

So it was definitely a good decision to give the film its own touch by presenting the White Horse Inn, its guests and employees as well as the whole environment around Lake Wolfgang as a completely over-stylized parallel world in which the characters are allowed to poke fun at all the prejudices one might have before a musical Heimatfilm as walking clichés. Yet what makes this ideal world so beautiful for many is not disrespectfully made fun of, but satirized with an affectionate bow. This is weird, kitschy and somehow also very funny.

The well-known songs from the musical comedy were given a modern touch and in addition musicians like Bela B. were allowed to contribute new songs to the melodious hustle and bustle. When this works, it works really well. But in many moments the production isn't consistent enough, it just seems too well-behaved and a bit staid, which is in clear contrast to the satirical tone of the story. In such moments Christian Theede seems to be unable to decide whether he simply wants to present a modern homage or a persiflage.

But even if the comedy could have done with a bit more bite and a more determined staging, Im weißen Rössl - Wehe, du singst! is not without entertainment value as a slightly trashy musical comedy. This is also due to the actors, who here warble the familiar melodies out into the mountains with obvious fun. While Diana Amft is again convincing in her typical way with slightly chaotic charm, especially Fritz Karl as head waiter Leopold in the very role that made Peter Alexander so unforgettable is a real asset to the film. But also Tobis Licht, Edita Malovcic and Gregor Bloéb as the self-absorbed Sigismund ensure that the good humor at the Wolfgangsee triumphs over small foreign-shame moments and embarrassments.

Surely, Im weißen Rössl - Woe, you sing! is not great head-scratcher and certainly not the great comedy the film could have been. But for those who appreciate German musical films and like things to be a little sillier, this slightly offbeat version of the Weisse Rössl can definitely be recommended.

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp