Tiefland
Produced by and starring Leni Riefenstahl.
Tiefland
Produced by and
starring Leni Riefenstahl.
It opens with soft,
classical music as the sun breaks over the mountains. The sheep are in the
pasture and the shepherd is sleeping in his hut. He is sleeping, but the
wolf is awake, and goes after the flock. The sheep dog is badly injured in
his fight with the wolf, but his barking wakes the shepherd. Using his
sling, he hits the wolf in the head with a large rock but only manages to anger
the wolf. The wolf attacks the shepherd, there is a struggle and the
shepherd strangles the wolf. He tends to his flock and to his dog's
injuries.
The sun is up, the snow melts into rivulets which become streams and eventually
thundering waterfalls. The music rises and falls to match the
scenery. This film has great scenery in it, and is a classic example of
the melodramas of the 1920's and 1930's.
The shepherd comes to the nearby village and stops at the inn for his
meal. He is surrounded by many beautiful young women as they all enjoy a
meal of roasted sheep. In the village square, we first see the Spanish
dancer Martha (Leni Riefenstahl) in her little wagon. She is beautiful,
sultry and tempting.
At the estate of the Marquis, the formal dinner is boring so he and a young lady
go to the balcony for some fresh air and light flirtation. They have an
argument - something about his wife, and the woman leaves in a fit of anger.
The shepherd peers in a window of the cantina and is bedazzled by the beauty of
Martha, who is dancing. On his walk back to the pasture, her face dances
in front of him - he sees her in the clouds. He is really smitten.
Others find her beautiful as well, and the Marquis summons Martha to his estate
to dance for him - but he has more on his mind than the flamenco! The wine
flows freely. She dances suggestively. He carries her up the
stairs..........
The next morning, he showers her with gifts - fine clothes, beautiful jewelry -
but again, he wants more in return. Later in the afternoon, they are
riding on his beautiful stallion, looking at his cattle herds. This life
is too much, and she flees to the mountains and collapses not far from the
shepherd's hut. His dog finds her and brings the shepherd, who carried her
back to his hut and lays her on his cot. The men the Marquis has sent to
look for her arrive, and they take her, still unconscious, back to the
estate. She hates this life, but she stays. A wedding is about to
take place and Martha is sad.
The shepherd rescues her and they hide in the old mill during a fierce storm,
but the Marquis finds them. He draws his dirk. The shepherd pulls
his hunting knife. They clash, they fight, they are out in the
storm. Who lives? Who dies? What is the fate of Martha?
It's all at the end of this film.
As we said, this is a classic melodrama of the type seen on the movie screens in
the 1920's and 1930's. Leni is beautiful, the scenery is breathtaking, and
the cinematography is far ahead of its time.
CLICK
HERE to order Tape
H-122