Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü

Following the minor role that Leni Riefenstahl played in Rolf Raffé's Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg, she returned to working with director Arnold Fanck in the mountain adventure film Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü, which was first released as a silent in 1929, then later re-edited and released as a sound version in 1935. This Arnold Fanck – G.W. Pabst co-production was a major hit both in Europe and abroad (including North America), and also marked the first feature film appearance by the famous WWI flying ace and stunt pilot, Ernst Udet, who played himself in the film.

Synopsis

The film opens with Dr. Johannes Krafft [Gustav Diessl] and his wife, Maria [Mizzi Götzel] — a couple who are clearly very much in love — climbing the treacherous Piz Palü with their guide, Christian Klucker [Otto Spring]. Suddenly an avalanche hits them, and Maria is swept away down an icy crevasse to her death. Thus begins Krafft's sorry fate of spending the ensuing years on the mountain alone in his grief, whiling away his days in sorrowful remembrance of his beloved who perished there.

Cut to a scene where we are introduced to Maria Majoni [Leni Riefenstahl] and Hans Brandt [Ernst Petersen], two young lovers enjoying their time at a remote cabin high up in the mountains, playing in the snow and playing with each other, until their friend Ernst Udet [as himself] arrives in his plane, doing loop-the-loops overhead to say hello and tossing them a friendly gift by parachute. Shortly thereafter, they discover a journal in the cabin, where they read of the story of Maria's death, and Hans tells Maria the legend of the mysterious Dr. Krafft, who has become known as the "spirit of the mountain."

Suddenly, to their amazement, there in the doorway appears Dr. Krafft himself. The three then share a meal together and become quietly acquainted, and while Hans chops wood outside, Krafft tells Maria how he searched and searched for his wife in the deep recesses of the crevasse, believing she must still be alive, until he finally found her in her grave of ice. Maria feels sympathety toward him and an attraction develops between the two. The three spend the night together in the cabin, and during the night Hans discovers the attraction which has grown between his sweetheart and the mysterious Dr. Krafft.

The next morning, Dr. Krafft sets off to summits of Piz Palü once again, and not to be out-done, Hans follows after him. Maria, too, cannot resist following, and she catches up with them, insists on joining them, and so all three begin their ascent of the mountain, at the same time that off in the distance a group of youths are also seen making their ascent. At first, both groups make good headway, but then bad luck begins to hit them all. First, the inexperienced Hans insists on taking the lead, but he slips and falls, injuring his head against the rocky crag below. Krafft and Maria are able to pull him back up to safety, but Krafft breaks his leg in the process. Now the three are stranded up on the ledge, and though they can see the group of young people down below who may be able to help them, suddenly an avalanche occurs, sweeping all the youths down into the crevasse to their deaths.

Now the three are truly stranded. With injuries, no way to return down the mountain, and no help in site, they begin their first night on the mountain ledge, with Krafft doing his best to signal for help with his lantern.

Back at the cabin, Otto Spring comes by and read in the journal of the ascent up the mountain, and fearing that something must be wrong, he goes off alone in search of them. When he reaches the crevasse, he comes across the body of one of the young climbers. Having also seen Krafft's distress signal from far up above, he returns to the village at the base of the mountain, where he gets a search party together. In the freezing cold and darkness of night, the rescue team first looks for any signs of life among the youths who fell deep into the crevasse, but only one lifeless body after another is found.

For the second night in a row, Krafft has continued waving his search light, with the trio freezing together in the wind and icy cold. Once again day arrives, bringing with it the warming sun, as the search party continues up the slopes of the mountain — but as hard as they try, they cannot find the ledge that the three stranded climbers are on.

Will the three desperate climbers be saved?
(Click for a pop-up window with the plot spoiler)

Image Galleries

• Titles/Credits for Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü — a comparison of the 1929 (silent) & 1936 (sound) versions
• For downloadable video clips, please see Leni Riefenstahl Video Downloads (Part One: The Arnold Fanck Bergfilms)

Historical Notes

• Forthcoming!

Analysis & Criticism (On-Site)

• None (at this time)

Web Links

Below are selected external links (to other sites) with information and/or articles about this film. External links to information about other Leni Riefenstahl films can be found in the Web Links section on the main pages for each of those films, or for more general information please see the Selected Leni Riefenstahl Links section of this site.

• The Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
• The White Hell of Pitz Palu
  

  A review by Robert K. Klepper.

| Home | | A Dancer's Odyssey | | Early Films Featuring Leni | | Films Directed by Leni |
| Downloads | | LEN-E Discussion List | | Resources | | Guestbook & Contact | | Credits |

All original text copyright © Ron Koster / Leni's Rising Star,
except as otherwise noted.
All original icons, graphics, layout and typography of this entire site
copyright © Leni's Rising Star / Psymon.
May not be reproduced or distributed in any manner
without explicit permission of Leni's Rising Star / Psymon.