Hohe Tannen (1960)

Schlager composer Theo Weigand and lyricist Bert Haagen are going through a creative crisis. Their boss, Reichert, has had enough of the bland schlager songs they have been offering him lately. Only his daughter Uschi keeps him from giving up on the two artists as well, since she is attracted to Bert. Hoping for better inspiration, Theo and Bert retreat to idyllic Kirchberg am Walde, but the idyll is soon disrupted. As they drive along in their convertible, a charcoal burner’s cart loaded with wood, with a “driver” sitting on top, cuts them off, and they end up in a ditch. After both artists hurl abuse at the owner of the handcart, the supposed driver takes revenge during their subsequent swim in the lake by stealing all their clothes. Theo and Bert have to drive into the village half-naked, amid jeers. The two men have no idea that the driver is actually the young Liesel. To compose in peace, Theo and Bert take up residence in the castle of an impoverished baron. Liesel also spends a lot of time there, since the baron, like her, was driven from his homeland. Liesel comes from the Giant Mountains, has no parents, and now lives with the charcoal burner’s family in the forest. The charcoal burner loves her, but his wife is a spiteful person. Theo and Bert hear Liesel rehearsing the folk song “Köhlerliesel” in the stable with young Viktor, a refugee from East Germany. They are delighted by her natural voice, but Liesel slips away before they can identify her. The baron presents her as a mysterious princess of the forest. While fleeing from Theo and Bert, Liesel leaves her purse in the castle, containing the money she earned from the wood. The charcoal burner’s wife throws her out of the house; she may return only when she has found the money. Back at the castle, Liesel runs into Theo and Bert. They do not recognize her, mistake her for a boy, and on a whim hire her as their servant. They dress Liesel in an old-fashioned livery and henceforth call her “Cherubim.” Acquaintances of Liesel and Bert arrive at the castle: record producer Reichert with his daughter Uschi, as well as the publicity-loving schlager starlet Liane with her aunt Emilie. Liane finds Liesel’s purse and keeps it as a lucky charm. To Liesel’s dismay, Liane starts flirting with Theo, but refuses to sing “Hohe Tannen,” the song originally written for Liesel. Instead, she turns her attention to Bert, whom she considers more likely to succeed, which in turn causes Uschi pain. Liesel now adopts various disguises to win Theo over. In the forest, she appears to him on horseback in a flowing dress as the princess of the forest; at a village festival, she performs as the singer “Köhlerliesel”; and at the castle, she continues to appear as the servant Cherubim. When she has a mishap while serving Liane, Theo throws her out. She packs her things and finds her lost purse on Liane’s bedside table. She takes it back, and Theo now also mistakes her for a thief. Only Uschi sees through the confusion and takes Liesel with her. Record producer Reichert, who has heard numerous local bands at the village festival, is so impressed by their music that he organizes a talent contest. The best performance is to lead to a record production. “Köhlerliesel” is also supposed to perform there and sing “Hohe Tannen,” but ever since the quarrel over the “stolen” purse, she has vanished without a trace. Theo has long since learned Liesel’s identity and that the money belonged to her. In the end, everything works out: Uschi prepares Liesel for her performance. The popular Erich Storz sings “Hohe Tannen,” while Liesel performs her own song, “Köhlerliesel,” accompanied by Viktor and his musicians. Theo, who is conducting, runs onto the stage shortly after the performance and finally kisses Liesel in front of the entire audience.