THE MOVING PICTURE BOY ARCHIVE

WUNDER DES FLIEGENS

Full Title: Wunder des Fliegens: Der Film eines deutschen Fliegers
English translation of title: The Miracle of Flight: A Film About a German Pilot
Year of Release: 1935
Director: Heinz Paul
Screenplay: Peter Franke and Heinz Paul
Principal Boy Actors: Jürgen Ohlsen as Heinz. There are a number of boys at the start of the film, all of whom are uncredited.
Genre: Drama
Country of Production: Germany
Length: 1 hr 13 min
Language: German
Availability: A DVD, with English subtitles, was released by International Historic Films in the US.

Synopsis
Heinz Muthesius, whose aviator father was killed in the First World War, dreams of becoming a pilot; but his mother is reluctant to support him, because she doesn't want to lose her son after having lost her husband. By chance Heinz meets his idol, the WWI flying ace Ernst Udet, who takes the lad under his wing (no pun intended), persuading his mother to let him fulfil his ambition. We see later on that Udet also keeps a photo of the boy! Heinz enrols in a flight training class and pilots a glider to the Wetterstein mountains, but is forced to parachute out, and is left alone on the mountain top at night in the freezing cold. Hearing of the boy's peril from the radio, Udet immediately dons his aviator goggles and flies to the rescue of his eromenos!

Publicity
The movie programme (right) issued by the production company Terra Film was suitably gushing about the excitement the audience could expect from this movie: "Here is Maestro Udet, one with his machine, the older generation of aviator, proven through thousands of dangers, self-assuredly possessing a high degree of flying knowledge. His great persona carries the film to the end. There is 'Heinz Muthesius' (Jürgen Ohlsen, from the film Hitler Youth Quex), the fledgling, the up-and-coming generation of flier, captivated and passionate. We witness the transformation of a boy, whose longing can at first only be indulged by playing with kites and model airplanes, into an ambitious young pilot. We see the mother (Käthe Haack) battle tears, battle with storms and dangers, a crash-landing, mortal danger and rescue. Riveting, the athletic vigour of the great master aviator Udet! Moving, the quiet largesse of the mother, as she conquers her feelings and frees her son to follow his highest goals. Gripping, the feverish athletic passion of our young Icarus."

Below: Ohlsen, the 'Hitlerjunge Quex', announced for Wunder des Fliegens in a contemporary publication

Screenshots