The Mortal Storm
- Margaret Sullavan: Freya Roth
- James Stewart Martin Breitner
- Robert Young: Fritz Marberg
- Frank Morgan: Professor Viktor Roth
- Robert Stack: Otto von Rohn
- Bonita Granville: Elsa
- Irene Rich: Amelie Roth
- William T. Orr: Erich von Rohn
- Maria Ouspenskaya: Hilda Breitner
Mortal Storm ( Original title: The Mortal Storm ) is an American feature film from 1940, based on the story by Phyllis Bottome from 1938.
Action
The film is set in 1933 in a German university town, this is Munich. Professor Viktor Roth is celebrating his birthday. The celebration is interrupted by the news that Adolf Hitler seized power in Germany. Roth is a Jew and knows what the Nazi seizure of power can mean for his family. His stepsons and Erich Otto von Rohn, however, are enthusiastic about the policy change. Even Fritz Marberg, the lover of Roth's daughter Freya joins their enthusiasm. Only Martin Breitner, who is in love with Freya, shares the opinion of Viktor Roth.
The city is changing rapidly. The Nazis use force and pressure on their opponents. Erich and Otto von Rohn leave the house of Professor Roth. Freya releases the connection to Fritz Marberg and takes place in Martin Breitner partner for life. The young couple is quickly separated again but, when Martin had to flee from Germany because he helped a friend to leave Germany. Professor Roth loses his teaching position and comes in a concentration camp. He died there. Freya and her mother fled to Austria, where Martin Breitner awaits them. As Freya is however held at the border and not allowed to leave the country, Martin returned to Germany and wants to smuggle over a mountain pass across the border to Austria. On the dangerous path they are detected just before the border by a group of Nazis. The group is led by Fritz Marberg. Both still manages to escape across the border, where Freya is injured in a shootout and dies shortly thereafter.
Background
The film Deadly storm was one of the first anti-fascist films from Hollywood. In Germany thereupon forbade Joseph Goebbels, the exhibition of films from MGM in principle. The film was shot from February to April 1940. The premiere was held on 14 June 1940. In Germany the film was first shown in 1957.
Reviews
" Although the film makes some distortion, his restrained portrayal of an effort can lead to shear not all Germans over a comb. "