Fanfaren der Ehe (1953)

The nurse returns and is satisfied to find that the Mothers are there Building on the success of the earlier film, Fanfaren der Liebe, we now find that Hans (Dieter Borsche) and Peter (Georg Thomalla) have married the two girls they met in the band. All four are musicians and in the earlier film, the two men disguised themselves and pretended to be female musicians themselves, to get work.

They are still penniless, however, and the landlord is getting anxious. The two wives discover that a luxury cruise ship is engaging an all-girl band, and they take an advance which staves off the landlord for a while. However the two men have to stay behind and look after the babies, because the lady who manages the band will only employ single women.

The landlord is still being difficult, and he is pleased when the Social Services people send a children's nurse (played excellently by Margarete Haagen) round to see that everything is all right with the new babies. She is horrified when she discovers two men ineptly looking after two babies, and the men pacify her by saying that their wives will be back shortly. All right, she will return in half an hour to talk to the ladies. The only thing to do is to get out the women's clothes they wore when they were in the all-girl band. The nurse comes back and is satisfied.


If the ladies would step through here and remove their blouses ... However, a visit to the post-natal clinic at the hospital is evidently urgently necessary; they must go at once taking the babies, of course. Despite the men's chaotic ignorance of childcare, everything seems to be going well, until the doctor signifies that he wants to examine not just the babies, but the "mothers" too. The nurse indicates a changing room; if the ladies will step through here and remove their blouses ...


You've taken the wrong baby The boys don't think that's a good idea, so they grab the babies and leg it. For some reason the elderly nurse is chasing them through the streets ... stop! ... stop! The men run faster, but at a tram stop, she catches them up: you've taken someone else's baby, a black baby; here is yours ...


Mrs Yell and her companion arrive This isn't going to work; so the two decide to travel to Genoa with the babies to pick up the cruise liner and join their wives. Apparently their financial difficulties have been resolved, because they take the train. They vow no more dressing in women's clothes, no more doing maternal work. Reaching the quayside, they explain who they are, and that they are here to join their musician wives. But the boarding officer says he knows that all the musicians are unmarried, so you can't come on board. In the confusion, the babies are loaded on a luggage elevator(!), while the men hear that a VIP lady, Mrs Yell, and her companion are about to arrive and must be given every assistance in boarding. Seeing Mrs Yell's trunk on the quay, the men borrow some clothes from her luggage and present themselves as Mrs Yell and her companion. They catch up with the babies, who are already being looked after by their mothers.

As attractive, apparently single women, the two wives have attracted male admirers, and when this becomes obvious later, the two husbands, in female disguise, are unable to intervene. However, they later change back to their male clothes, and again don't have any success, as their wives are obviously enjoying being escorted by well-to-do men.


Mrs Yell and her companion meet their impersonators The cruise proceeds, with the two men hiding in the cabin most of the time, although a brief romantic visit ashore takes place at one of the ship's calls. But on their return aboard, it is discovered that Mrs Yell and her companion have disappeared ... all that is left are some of their clothes. Murder is suggested by a passenger, and at the next call, a detective meets the ship. But so do the real Mrs Yell and her real companion, who (obviously) missed the sailing at Genoa. Meanwhile our heroes have dressed as the women again, and are coming down the gangway, and come face to face with the ladies they are impersonating.

But as this is a feel-good film, no-one really minds, and the film ends with harmony all round, including a fanfare of marriage from the band.

HF June 2004


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