The Spessart Inn

For the silent film, seeThe Spessart Inn (1923 film).

The Spessart Inn(German:Das Wirtshaus im Spessart) is a 1958 West German musical comedy film directed byKurt Hoffmann.It starredLiselotte PulverandCarlos Thompson.

Das Wirtshaus im Spessart The Spessart Inn
Film poster showing Liselotte Pulver and Carlos Thompson.
Directed by	Kurt Hoffmann
Written by	Luiselotte Enderle Curt Hanno Gutbrod Heinz Pauck based on a novella byWilhelm Hauff
Produced by	Georg Witt
Starring	Liselotte Pulver
Cinematography	Richard Angst
Edited by	Claus von Boro
Music by	Franz Grothe
Production company	Georg Witt-Film GmbH
Distributed by	Constantin Film
Release date	15 January 1958(1958-01-15)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	West Germany
Language	German

Plot

In the late years of the 18th century, Felix and Peter, twojourneymen,are travelling across theSpessarthills toWürzburg.Scared of the bandits that plague these parts, especially after a brief encounter with them, the two are glad to find an inn in the middle of the forest. However, it turns out that they have wandered into a den of thieves. The owners are in league with the bandits, who this very night plan to abduct Franziska, the Comtesse von Sandau, who is travelling through the forest with a group including her fiancé, Baron Sperling. Their coach is waylaid by a trap and the bandits direct them to the nearby inn. The waitress warns the journeymen of impending danger and they pass on the warning to the nobles. During the night, the brigands arrive. To escape, the Comtesse switches places with Felix and, in a man's clothes, escapes with Peter. Felix (as Comtesse), Franziska's maid and the pastor are taken to the bandits' lair. The bandits send Baron Sperling on his way to convey their ransom demand for 20,000 guilders to Graf Sandau, Franziska's father.

When Franziska arrives at her father's castle, he refuses to pay the ransom for the commoner who has taken his daughter's place. Instead, Graf Sandau decides to send the military against the bandits. Franziska thus rides to the bandits' lair and pretends to be a highwayman herself. The bandit leader accepts her as a henchman, but makes her sleep in his hut. In the morning he discovers her true identity but keeps this information from his men.

When Graf Sandau finds out that the Comtesse has gone to the bandits he sends Baron Sperling to the inn with the ransom money. The soldiers shadow him but the plan to follow the bandits back to their lair fails. Meanwhile, at the bandits' lair, their corporal finds out that the "Comtesse" they have imprisoned is a man. Franziska, on the pretense that she wants to find out the truth about the prisoner, switches back places with Felix, which saves his life but makes her a prisoner. The corporal wants to kill her and a confrontation ensues. The leader sides with the prisoners and during the fight, the parson escapes. The soldiers find the bandits' lair, but the leader snatches the Comtesse and rides off.

Franziska conceals the bandit leader in her father's castle. He reveals to her that he is in fact the son of an Italian Count from whom Graf Sandau borrowed money in the past, which he never repaid. After his father's death he came to Germany to recover his money from Graf Sandau, but before he could do so he was taken prisoner by the bandits. They forced him to join their band and eventually he became their leader. The planned abduction of the Comtesse was intended to make Graf Sandau finally pay the money he owed.

The soldiers search the castle and the bandit leader flees. However, he returns and elopes with Franziska who was about to marry Baron Sperling—a purely financial match set up by her father. The bandit leader/count takes Franziska in lieu of the money he is owed and they drive off in a wagon.

Cast

• Liselotte Pulveras Comtesse Franziska von Sandau
• Carlos Thompsonas Bandit Captain
• Günther Lüdersas Baron Eberhard Sperling
• Rudolf Vogelas Parucchio
• Wolfgang Neussas Knoll
• Wolfgang Müller as Funzel
• Ina Petersas Maid Barbara
• Kai Fischeras Bettina
• Veronika Fitzas Louise
• Herbert Hübneras Graf Sandau
• Hubert von Meyerinckas Obrist von Teckel
• Helmut Lohneras Felix
• Hans Clarinas Peter
• Paul Esseras Bandit Corporal
• Otto Storr as Parson
• Karl Hanftas Jacob
• Heini Göbelas Coachman Gottlieb
• Ernst Brasch as Servant Anton
• Vera Complojeras Landlady
• Anette Karmann as Kitchen Maid Adele
• Georg Lehn as Stadtbote
• Ralf Wolteras Bandit

Production

The script was based on an 1826 novella byWilhelm Hauffand written by Heinz Pauck and Luiselotte Enderle. Curt Hanno Gutbrod also worked on the script.An earlier film version of Hauff's story had been released in 1923, directed by Adolf Wenter and starring Friedrich Berger and Ellen Kürty.

The film was shot at theBavaria StudiosinMunichwith sets designed by theart directorsRobert HerlthandKurt Herlth.Schloss Mespelbrunn,actually located within the Spessart hills, was used as the castle of Graf Sandau. Another location was the market square ofMiltenberg,a town between the Spessart and theOdenwald.

Release

The Spessart Innpremiered on 15 January 1958 at the Gloria-Palast in Berlin.

The film was entered into the1958 Cannes Film Festivaland nominated for the Palme d'Or.

Kurt Hoffmann'sThe Haunted CastleandGlorious Times at the Spessart Innwere sequels of a sort to this film.

Reception

TheFilmbewertungsstelleawarded the filmPrädikat: Wertvoll.It also received the Ernst-Lubitsch-Award in 1958. In 1960 it was awarded a "Bambi"for" Artistically Best Film of the Year "and in 1961 thePreis der deutschen Filmkritikfor "Best Film".

Liselotte Pulver received theFilmband in Silberfor "Best Actress" at theDeutscher Filmpreisin 1958 for her role as Franziska.

TheLexikon des internationalen Filmscalls the film "a colourful, delightfully spooky and cheerful film with a parodistic touch".

More recently, theatres in several towns in Germany, including Mespelbrunn, Fulda or Donauwörth have staged plays/musicals based on the film or at least including some of the elements added to Hauff's original story.

Further reading

• Wilhelm Hauff: The Caravan. The Sheik of Alexandria and his Slaves. The Inn in the Spessart (Classic Reprint). Forgotten Books, 2010.ISBN978-1440069499.
• Klaus Rosenthal: Das Wirtshaus im Spessart. Ein deutsches Film-Musical (German). Schlossallee-Verlag, Mespelbrunn 1998. (self-published)

External links

• The Spessart InnatIMDb