Heimweh nach dir, mein grünes Tal (1960)

After four years away, Gabriela von Hübner returns to the Sonnhof as a newly qualified veterinarian. When she expresses surprise to her grandfather, Wilhelm von Hübner, at how run-down everything looks, he tells her that the estate has not been doing very well in recent years. At a meal to which her grandfather has also invited the current manager, Fred Schantl, Gabriela again brings up the disastrous state of the farm. Schantl takes this as a personal insult and leaves the room on a flimsy pretext. Her grandfather then reproaches her. As she continues exploring the estate and its surroundings, Gabriela discovers that the former estate-manager couple, the Liebmanns, no longer live in the estate manager’s house, and she is very puzzled. Later, the Liebmanns tell her that they had to vacate the house for the new manager. Mrs. Liebmann tearfully explains that their son Andreas has taken a position as manager at a sawmill in Canada and probably will not return. Meanwhile, Schantl meets with the town’s bank director and talks him into granting him a loan by revealing his true plan: he is deliberately running the estate down. It will be no loss to the director if Schantl gets the property into his possession first. Andreas Liebmann has received another letter from home in Canada. Between the lines, he senses a strange sadness in his parents’ words and becomes concerned. He decides to go home and see for himself what is happening, and discusses this with Draga Adamicz, the owner of the sawmill. Draga asks him to come back soon; her interest in the capable man is not just professional. Liebmann is dismayed to find that his parents are no longer in the manager’s house, his “parents’ home,” but in a small cottage far from the village. On his way to see them, he meets Gabriela. They take shelter from a rainstorm under a hay shelter and, naturally, get talking. Gabriela quickly recognizes the former estate manager’s son, Anderl Liebmann. They immediately like each other. Mrs. Liebmann can only sob the words “Our Anderl” when her son walks through the door, and his father can hardly hide his joy either. In conversation, his parents explain how they came to have to leave the estate. Schantl was responsible. He also learns that before taking up his position at the Sonnhof, Schantl was manager for Herr von Sommersfeld. Von Sommersfeld and von Hübner often argued, and once Schantl stepped between them when von Hübner went at Sommersfeld with a rifle butt. Then came word that Sommersfeld had suffered a fatal accident while hunting, and Schantl was his sole heir. Sommersfeld’s small estate was then merged with the much larger Sonnhof, and Schantl became the new manager. Gabriela has another confrontation with her grandfather, who, strangely, always takes the side of his irresponsible manager. At a village festival, the young woman runs into Andreas again and arranges to go for a walk with him the next day. There, she opens her heart to him and tells him what is troubling her. When Andreas promises to help, she throws her arms around him, and they share their first kiss. Since Gabriela’s grandfather does not want her interfering in the manager’s work, she sees only one way forward: to point out that, under her mother’s inheritance, she owns half of the Sonnhof, and that she wants to manage her half together with Andreas. Her grandfather cannot and will not deny her that right. Schantl, of course, finds this entirely contrary to his plans. He tries to put pressure on Wilhelm von Hübner, who suffers a fainting spell. Even at his sickbed, Schantl sends a shady notary after him to get von Hübner to transfer a certain part of his land to him. Meanwhile, Anderl’s father tells him about a silver mine among Wilhelm von Hübner’s properties. He is fairly sure that other minerals, such as magnesium or copper, can be found there too. This might help get the run-down Sonnhof back on its feet more quickly. At this point, Anderl tells his parents that he will not be returning to Canada, which makes them very happy. Andreas wants to take a closer look at the mine shaft, but finds himself in grave danger—and once again, Schantl has his dirty hands in it. With his last strength, Andreas Liebmann manages to escape the floodwaters as they collapse in around him. A misunderstanding follows. When Gabriela rushes anxiously to the accident site, she sees a strange woman embracing and kissing “her Anderl.” Disappointed, she turns away. Draga Adamicz had immediately boarded a plane after receiving a letter from her manager saying he would not return, hoping to change his mind. She is the “strange woman.” Andreas is told by Rosa, the Sonnhof’s housekeeper, about a conversation she overheard in which Wilhelm von Hübner revealed to the priest why Schantl has such power over him. He learns that von Hübner is supposed to have shot someone and that Schantl is blackmailing him with it. Andreas is determined to find out what really happened back then and discovers that Schantl had convinced Wilhelm von Hübner that he had shot Sommersfeld while hunting—and that no one would believe he had been aiming at game, since the constant arguments between him and von Sommersfeld were common knowledge. In exchange for his silence, Schantl made the old man dance to his tune. Andreas discovers that von Sommersfeld had actually died of a stroke. The body bore no gunshot wound. When Andreas goes looking for the Hübners’ gun, which Schantl had taken at the time, a final fight breaks out between him and Schantl. Cornered, Schantl tries to shoot him. In the end, however, Schantl is arrested and brought to justice. Gabriela realizes her mistake and says to Rosa, “I’m so happy—he really does love me.” Rosa replies, “Darling, you only know that today.” Wilhelm von Hübner is not the only one moved as he listens to the priest’s words while his granddaughter Gabriela and Andreas Liebmann approach the altar. A children’s choir enhances the festive atmosphere with the song “Love Is Eternity, Love Is Light.”