North Face
Directed by: Philipp Stolzl Starring: Benno Furmann, Florian Lukas, Johanna Wokalek, Synopsis: North Face tells the true story of the 1936 attempt to conquer the North Face of Mt. Eiger. Following the tragic death of climbers Karl Merhinger and Max Sedlmeyer in 1935, the national pride of Germany is at stake, especially with the Olympics being held in Berlin the following Summer. Newspaper editor Henry Arau (Ulrik Turkur) runs articles demanding who in Germany will stand up to the challenge of “the last problem of the Alps”. Plucky photojournalist Luise Fellner happens to know of two such men – Toni Kurtz and Andreas Hinterstoisser.
North Face keeps that fact in mind all the way through. When we first see sight of the mountain, it is an incredibly imposing sight and becomes even more ominous as the movie draws on, thanks to the wonderful cinematography of Kolja Brandt. North Face also knows that when you have a true story as good as this, its best to just keep to the facts, and it is a true “boys-own” adventure story that should feature in the Dangerous Book for Boys. The equipment the climbers used was minimal by today’s standards yet probably weighed twice as much. The sheer grit, courage, ingenuity and determination these people must have had is an inspiration. North Face jumps back and forth between the climbers'ascent and the spectators and commentators at the foot of the mountain. It cleverly juxtaposes the challenges the climbers face (canvas sleeping bag, barley soup for mealtimes) with the opulent amenities provided for the spectators at the base of the mountain, which seems more and more decadent as things deteriorate on the mountain. Philpp Stolzl and his co-writer Christoph Silber perfectly capture the time and place of pre-war Berlin and the nationalist fervour that was gripping the country. It is an infectious frame of mind and certainly the character of Luise is caught up in it to begin with – no small thanks to her sometimes charming, sometimes monstrous boss, Henry. Benno Furmman and Florian Lukas are excellent as the intrepid climbers, Kurtz and Hinterstoisser respectively. Kurtz is slightly older and with a wiser head on his shoulders, whilst Hinterstoisser is full of vim and vinegar. The fictional character of Luise Fellner is the only aspect of the story where the filmmakers use dramatic licence, acting as the movie’s moral compass. She grows in stature through the film – at first she is the put-upon clerical assistant, making the coffee and putting up with her bosses’ sexist remarks. Later she is convincing local climbers to stage a rescue when all goes horribly wrong. What intrigues me is the future that Stolzl and Silber have created for her, and whether she may be based on a real person. If Luise Fellner is the movie’s moral compass then Henry Arau (Ulrik Turkur) is the acceptable face of nationalism. Through Henry we can see how Germany’s national fervour would develop from pride to fanaticism. There are times when we are right beside him – such as when the german climbers succeed with the Henterstoisser Traverse – “This is HISTORY!” he tells his fellow onlookers. However such empathy doesn’t last and when he starts on about the annexation of Austria, we want to leave the room with Luise. The final events of the tragic attempt are more or less played out as they really happened – certainly there is no need to embellish the drama here. Stolzl provides a touching end, full of pathos and emotion set in one of natures most unforgiving environments. Verdict: Director Philipp Stolzl has produced an amazing drama about an amazing, if tragic story. 8 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
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