Solange das Herz schlägt (1958)

Stuttgart, 1958. Dr. Hans Römer, a senior high-school principal, has earned a reputation at one of the city’s schools as a conscientious but very strict educator. His life is not much different from that of many other successful career men in the young Federal Republic during the years of the economic miracle. His marriage has become frozen in everyday routine, and Mrs. Römer takes care of the household. Their two nearly grown children, their daughter Renate and their son Eberhard, have by now gone their own ways. One day, a routine examination reveals the prospect of catastrophe for Dr. Römer. He steals the X-ray films to make sure. Then the dreadful news strikes him to the core: a medical examination by the school doctor, Dr. Bernburg, has revealed that he has life-threatening cancer in an advanced stage. He seeks certainty by using a trick: he steals the X-ray films from Dr. Bernburg so he can show them to a specialist. He is told that he has at most one year to live. An operation is possible, but the disease is already so advanced that the chances of success are rather slim. For Hans Römer, this news is devastating, and the dejected man begins to reassess himself and the life he has led so far. Dr. Römer wants to spend the time he has left with his family and enjoy every minute from now on. Their routine as a married couple and family gives way to a new vitality; their marriage, frozen in the monotony of daily life, is revitalized, and after many years of living side by side, Römer and his wife grow close again. Dr. Römer’s transformation toward kindness, gentleness, and compassion also becomes evident in his dealings with his pupils. As the film’s title suggests, he decides to fight as long as his heart is still beating. And so he dares to undergo the dangerous operation. His courage and zest for life pay off: the operation is successful.