Undoubtedly, the story staged by E. W. Emo in The Fairy Doll is nothing particularly original. It could even be stated that the feature film has acquired particular historical importance today precisely because it is one of the films in which Romy Schneider’s parents took part when they were young. Yet, despite everything, we must recognise a certain grace and elegance in the staging of the tender love story between the two young protagonists.
Love triumphs in Court Theatre. But will it be so for everyone? And, above all, is love or career more important? How much can people’s opinions influence a person’s life? Willi Forst has staged it all with a strong lyricism, but also with the right cynicism, especially when it comes to dealing with certain dynamics within the show business and the upper middle class.
Although less well-known to the audience Mrs. Dane’s Confession, directed by Michael Curtiz (still credited as Mihály Kertész), immediately stands out for its extraordinary directorial care, intense close-ups and sophisticated editing cuts, complete with irises and fades that give the entire feature film a very personal character.