Hertha Thiele

Film Mädchen in Uniform

Hertha: Yes, today I can recall a similar problem I encountered when I was doing my screen tests. The screen tests were silent. Never in my life had I seen a film studio. Then I was instructed, look straight at the camera, head right, head left. And my whole face twitched and I ran away. I think I ran out of the studio five or six times. From behind me came: `Come back here!' Then Froelich tied me to the chair: `Now keep calm'. It still didn't work, I twitched. Then I yelled out to him, `Good heavens! If it's silent, just let me speak. I can't put on an imbecilic puppet show, turning my head this way and that!' Then he said, `OK, talk, say whatever you want'. I don't know what I said - I never did see the screen test. But the moment I started to talk it was fine, also with my face. Because I came from the theatre, I couldn't just hold a facial expression without speaking.