This is an amazing psychological drama about a German girl being brought out of the war by an Englishman who eventually marries her, creating great controversy in his small native town, as his elder sister (Flora Robson) is a leading local politician. She is ardently against all things German, consistently denouncing all Germans just because they are Germans, and her case is perhaps the most interesting one in the film , how it develops, and how she finally gets the last word: "You can never treat any human beings as less than human without becoming less than human yourself." It could have been said by Plato. David Farrar is outstanding as usual as the soldier who refuses to give up Frieda, and Man Zetterling, who herself lived in Germany during a period of her life, is absolutely convincing and outstanding in acting this very sensitive part. I was deeply impressed by the depth of the script and the actors' perfect rendering of it in bringing it more than alive, and although the scenery is rather the same all through with no great practical drama, the inner drama is the more vivid, intensive and spiritually dramatic. This was yet another ace among the productions of Basil Dearden.

I liked this film a lot--because it was so well made, because it was so very different but especially since it had such a strong emotional impact. Ealing Studios, a wonderful small British company, once again scores a bullseye with this lovely postwar film and it's very well worth watching.

The film begins in the latter part of WWII. A British flier (David Farrar) escapes from Germany thanks to the help of a young German lady (Mai Zetterling). In gratitude for her help, Farrar brings her home and asks her to marry him. Surprisingly, though, the small English town he returns to welcomes her like a leper--even though she proved herself. Throughout much of the film, she was badly treated and Farrar and his family are torn apart by this.

Fortunately, once the war ends, people begin accepting her and the upcoming marriage appears to he headed for success. However, when Mai's long-lost brother (a German soldier thought to have been killed in the war),the film jumps into high gear and becomes quite exciting--ultimately culminating in a very touching and teary conclusion.

The film deserves kudos for taking on this topic--both because other films didn't and because it handled it so intelligently and deftly. Some amazing scenes that really hit home were when Zetterling and Farrar were watching a newsreel that showed concentration camp atrocities, the confrontation between Farrar and Zetterling's brother as well as the amazing finale. This film is a great curio but more than that, it's great simple film-making. Well worth seeing--a brilliant little film.

Phew, that was a tough watch.. Not the production, Frieda is well made, but makes us all face up to our own prejudice and fear. I have no idea how this must have felt to the audience in 1947, I am sure many struggled to sympathise with Frieda, the enemy.

Today hatred is still rife, we live in a world that is still drawing dividing lines, for what.. where has it got us. Frieda tries to make us examine irrational fears and blind hatred. The film pushes us to see people as individuals.

I often look back at old cinema as a little simple, corny even, it is not often I sit in silence at the end and contemplate what I have seen, Frieda made me do this.

Should you watch this, yes if you like cinema that takes you somewhere and you like to empathise with tough subject matter. It is not an arty film and is extremely watchable.. But if you need whizzbangs and CGI this might not be the film for you.

All I can say to finish, I am glad I finally sat down to watch Frieda.