“THE LOUD AND THE GARISH DO NOT SUIT HIM”: Critical Notes on Willi Forst’s Debut Film "Leise flehen meine Lieder" (1933)

The purpose of this article is to conduct a critical examination of Willi Forst’s debut film as a director, "Leise flehen meine Lieder", which was filmed in Vienna, Forst’s city of birth, in 1933. Forst has been generally included among the greatest figures in the history of German-language cinema during the interwar years, and Forst’s directorial debut with the musical film "Leise flehen meine Lieder", which centered on a fictional episode in the life of Austrian composer Franz Schubert, followed a decade-long activity as an actor in both the theater and cinema. The film marked the beginning of Forst’s successful career as a film director, producer, and actor, which would develop in the years to follow between Vienna and Berlin. With the aim of enhancing comprehension of Forst’s oeuvre, the Austrian director’s film debut shall be put against the broader context of his body of work, drawing attention to some characteristics of Forst’s style that "Leise flehen meine Lieder" exemplified significantly.