Rent Heart of Stone (1950)
3.8 of 5 from 45 ratings
1h 44min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
In 1950, DEFA - the state-owned film studio of East Germany or the GDR - embarked on what would prove to be a long tradition of producing films based on folktales by the likes of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. German author Wilhelm Hauff provided the source for the studio's first folktale: The Cold Heart, which became Das kalte Herz or Heart of Stone. The first East German production to be shot in colour, it remained one of the most successful films the GDR ever produced until DEFA's dissolution in 1992. Peter Munk (Lutz Moik) lives in the Black Forest with his mother (Lotte Loebinger) and makes a modest living selling charcoal in the nearest town. He is deeply in love with the beautiful Lisbeth (Hanna Rucker) and equally as jealous of the arrogant Ezechiel (Paul Esser), a wealthy merchant who frequents the local tavern. Desperate to improve his social standing, Peter appeals to a mischievous forest spirit - the Glass Imp (Paul Bildt) - for help. The Imp grants Peter two wishes, but only with strict conditions attached that leave him wanting more. He then turns to the infamous Dutch Michael (Erwin Geschonneck), a reclusive warlock who can give Peter anything his heart desires - but only if he's willing to exchange his heart for one made of stone. By turns whimsical, weird and darkly macabre, Heart of Stone is an arrestingly beautiful work of fantasy that established a template for DEFA's future folktales - including a penchant for scenes likely to induce nightmares in children - and was swiftly followed by the likes of The Devil from Mill Mountain, The Singing Ringing Tree and Rumpelstiltskin. - Actors:
- Lutz Moik, Hanna Rucker, Paul Bildt, Paul Esser, Lotte Loebinger, Alexander Engel, Hannsgeorg Laubenthal, Karl Hellmer, Walter Tarrach, Eva Probst, Herbert Kiper, Erwin Geschonneck, Karl Heinz Deickert, Lieselotte Arnold, Helmut Bautzmann, Marga Becker, Johannes Bergfeldt, Gerda Blisse, Egon Brosig, Angela Brunner
- Directors:
- Paul Verhoeven
- Writers:
- Wilhelm Hauff, Marieluise Steinhauer, Paul Verhoeven, Wolff von Gordon
- Aka:
- Das kalte Herz / The Cold Heart
- Genres:
- Children & Family, Classics, Romance, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
- Countries:
- Germany
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/06/2025
- Run Time:
- 104 minutes
- Languages:
- German
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.37:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Commentary: Sean Allan (DEFA historian/author)
- Documentaries: 'Tales from the Black Forest'
- Interviews: Claire Knight (Soviet cinema expert)
- Silhouette folktale shorts: 'The Bremen Town Musicians' (Bruno J. Bottge, 1954); 'The Magic Ring' (Bruno J. Bottge, 1957)
- Animated folktale short: 'Thumbelina's Adventures' (Christl Wiemer, 1958)
- Trailers
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