Der Berg ruft (1938)

The Mountain Calls

 

Directed by: Luis Trenker

Written by: Luis Trenker, Hanns Sassmann and Richard Billinger

Based on: „Der Kampf ums Matterhorn“ by Carl Haensel.

Produced by: Luis Trenker

Music by: Giuseppe Becce

Cinematography: Sepp Allgeier, Otto Martini, Albert Benitz, Walter Riml and Klaus von Rautenfeld

Edited by: Waldemar Gaede and Fritz Stapenhorst

Production company: Luis Trenker-Film GmbH

Release date: 6 January 1938

Running time: 95 minutes

Country: Germany

Language: German

 

Starring:

 

Luis Trenker: Jean Antoine Carrel

Herbert Dirmoser: Edward Whymper

Heidemarie Hatheyer: Felicitas

Peter Elsholtz: Giordano

Lucie Höflich: Mother Carell

Blandine Ebinger: Miss Sweaton

Umberto Sacripante: Luc Meynet

Reginald Pasch: Hudson

Robert Thiem: Hadow

Kunibert Gensichen: Douglas

Luis Gerold: Guide Croz

Friedrich Ulmer: Favre

Bruno Hübner: Stefano

Armin Schweizer: Seiler

Lotte Spira: Frau Seiler

 

The Mountain Calls (German: Der Berg ruft) is a film directed by Luis Trenker which recreates the struggle between Edward Whymper and Jean-Antoine Carrel for the first successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865.

 

This German film is one of two 1938 Trenker remakes of Struggle for the Matterhorn (German: Der Kampf ums Matterhorn) in which Trenker acted in 1928, the other being the British - The Challenge.

 

Plot

 

Italian mountaineer Jean-Antoine Carrel wants to be the first man to reach the summit of the Matterhorn. He meets British mountaineer Whymper and they decide to climb together.

 

An intrigue spoils this agreement and the two men attempt the ascent on the same day with two different teams, Carrel on the Italian side and Whymper on the Swiss side.

 

Whymper successfully reaches the summit along with his six companions, Hudson, Hadow, Douglas and the guides Croz and Taugwalder father and son. Only Whymper and two of his guides survive the descent.