The Foolish Virgin (1935) review - A dusty, charming German melodrama

If you are looking for a fast-paced romance, stay far away from this one. But if you have a soft spot for dusty, forgotten 1930s German melodramas where people stare intensely at oil paintings, The Foolish Virgin is actually a cozy little watch. 🎬

It is definitely not for everyone, and most people today will probably find it incredibly slow and theatrical.

The whole plot kicks off because this wealthy aristocrat's daughter—played by Karin Hardt with these huge, watery eyes—is obsessed with joining a local passion play. It is a *very* specific hobby.

Then she runs into this starving artist from Munich who looks like he has not eaten a real meal in months. Yet, somehow, his hair is absolutely perfect in every single scene. 🤨

I kept wondering where he got his hair gel if he is supposedly broke.

The chemistry between them is... well, it is *very polite*. They do a lot of standing about three feet apart and sighing.

It reminds me a bit of the quiet, slightly awkward pacing in Two Good Comrades, though that one had a bit more energy. This movie just prefers to simmer in its own quiet melodrama.

The Weird Little Details

There is this one older guy in the town—I think he is played by Gerhard Dammann—who spends almost all his screen time looking mildly annoyed by everyone else. He was honestly my favorite part.

At one point, the artist is sketching, and the camera zooms in on the drawing. It is actually a *pretty mediocre* sketch, which made me laugh because everyone in the scene is acting like it is a masterpiece. 🎨

Also, the sound design is so crackly. It sounds like someone is frying bacon in the background of every quiet conversation, which I actually found kind of comforting.

The passion play rehearsals are a total mess too.

You can see some of the extras in the back just whispering to each other and looking at the camera. They clearly did not want to be there that day.

If you liked the dramatic silent-era vibes of The Shock, you might appreciate how much this movie relies on actors just pulling faces to show their feelings.

It does not have the same punch, but it has that same old-school charm where every emotion is dialed up to eleven.

Basically, the movie is just a sweet, slightly clumsy relic.

It does not try to be some grand statement on art or religion, even if the characters talk like they are in a church. It is just about a girl who wants to act and a guy who needs a sandwich. 🥪

If you can find a copy with decent subtitles, give it a go on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Just do not expect any big plot twists or action scenes, because you will be waiting forever.