In a rural village, the tyrannical Jonas Lauretz intimidates his family, mistress and neighbours. After he disappears one night, it is widely believed that his eldest daughter, Silvelie, has murdered him. A new investigating judge arrives in the village, he falls in love with Silvelie. He becomes torn between his love for her and his duty to investigate the potential crime. Eventually it emerges that it was not Silvelie who murdered Jonas Lauretz but the village innkeeper Bündner. He is forgiven by everyone because they all shared his desire to murder him.[2]
Production
John Knittel's Swiss novel Via Mala had been released in 1934 and become a major international success. The film rights were first acquired in 1941, but the period of production was lengthy and troubled. The screenplay by Thea von Harbou was first submitted to the censor on 21 May 1941, but was not passed until 28 February 1942. The Minister of PropagandaJoseph Goebbels then halted the project because it was "too gloomy"[3] It was revived a year later, and in 1943 filming began at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin and on location in Mayrhofen in Tyrol. A variety of further delays meant that the finished film was not ready until March 1944. This was still deemed unsatisfactory, and several scenes were re-shot. The ending moved away from that of the novel, where all family members except Silvelie were revealed to have taken part in the murder.[4] It was finally submitted to the censor in January 1945.[2]
Release
The film's release was also troubled. It was passed by the censors on 9 March 1945, but this was rescinded only ten days later.[2] The downbeat plot was considered unsuitable in light of the recent war situation, as German forces were being pushed back on all fronts and escapist films were preferred. It was finally agreed that the film could go on general release only outside Germany.[2]
The film premièred in Mayrhofen on 7 April 1945. It was not released in Germany until 16 January 1948, when it had its première in East Berlin.[5]
