Liebe in Uniform: A bit of old-fashioned stubbornness

Is it worth your time?

If you like old-school German cinema and don't mind a lead character who acts like a total grouch for the first forty minutes, you might get a kick out of this. If you need snappy pacing or modern tension, skip it. It's for people who enjoy watching people in very high collars pretend they aren't in love.

The whole thing feels like it was filmed in a room that hasn't been aired out in a century. Fritz Kampers is playing that classic 'I hate everyone' soldier type so hard it almost hurts. It’s funny how he spends so much time looking annoyed at the very idea of a woman in the room. Then, of course, the plot does the thing where he meets the girl and suddenly he’s stumbling over his own boots. 🙄

The Uniforms and the Mood

Everything is very buttoned-up. Literally. The cavalry uniforms are immaculate, which makes it even more amusing when they try to act like regular humans. There’s a scene near the middle where a conversation goes on for way too long about etiquette or horses—I honestly stopped tracking—and the lighting in the room shifts in a way that makes everyone look like ghosts. It’s weirdly charming.

Sometimes, the movie reminds me of the pacing in A Midnight Romance. It’s got that same sense of wanting to be grand while staying stuck in a very small, specific social circle. There’s a lack of stakes that actually works in its favor here. Nobody is saving the world. They’re just trying to not be embarrassed at a party.

• The mustaches are incredibly distracting.
• The dialogue feels like it was written by someone who never actually spoke to another human being in their life.
• The background extras in the party scene look like they’d rather be literally anywhere else.

I found myself staring at a painting on the wall in one shot for a full thirty seconds. The actors were talking, but my brain just checked out. The movie has a way of doing that. It’s not boring, exactly, but it’s placid.

It’s not as chaotic or weird as Ole Opfinders offer, that’s for sure. It’s a very safe, very stiff little box of a movie. You can feel the weight of the era—the Great War is just around the corner, and everyone is pretending they have all the time in the world to be difficult. Maybe that’s the point. Or maybe I’m reading too much into a guy being bad at flirting. 🐎

If you’re a fan of these older, creaky romantic comedies, you’ll find some comfort here. Just don't expect it to move quickly. It’s a slow-burn of stiff collars and awkward glances.