Die große Versuchung

'Die Grosse Versuchung' became a box-office howitzer because of the immediate popularity of Dieter Borsche and Ruth Leuwerik had triggered of in the surprise hit 'Vater braucht eine Frau' some month earlier. Topping all popularity polls as 1953 dawned, they matched the box-office magnetism of Germany's established Dream Lovers Maria Schell and O.W. Fischer.

The film itself was far from a classic. You either resisted the romantic melodrama of the not-too-exciting story, in which case you wasted your time and money, or you sat back and let it lush extravagance wash over you. The whole production was filmed with comparable style and magnificence and even if you were aware of being manipulated by scenario contrivances, you sat goggled-eyed, wondering what would happen next to lovely Ruth Leuwerik, who looked a treat in tailor-made costumes.