Two DVD set selling the original and remade film at a discounted price:

MADCHEN IN UNIFORM  (1931): 

Die 14-jährige Vollwaise Manuela von Meinhardis kommt an ein Stift für höhere Töchter in Potsdam. Hier erlebt sie eine Erziehung, die von preußischem Drill und dem Fehlen menschlicher Nähe geprägt ist. Einziger Lichtblick ist für sie die Lehrerin Fräulein von Bernburg, die sich dem rigiden Erziehungsideal der Oberin widersetzt. Als Manuela nach einer Schultheateraufführung – beschwingt vom Erfolg und von Bowle – Fräulein von Bernburg ihre Liebe gesteht, kommt es zum Eklat. Während die Oberin Fräulein von Bernburg für das Geschehene verantwortlich machen will, versucht Manuela, sich das Leben zu nehmen – was ihre Mitschülerinnen im letzten Moment verhindern können.

Mädchen in Uniform could be classified as a very bold film for its time.  It presents the controversies of lesbianism, teacher-student relationships, and anti-fascism in Germany in the 1930's.  Feminine sexual powers are used throughout the film.  During rehearsals for a play, one of the girls is told to use her feminine powers (to be more seductive) to play her part.  Sex appeal is also mentioned in describing a movie star.  The anti-fascism isn't blatant in the film, but in the opening scene, we see soldiers marching and then the schoolgirls marching, hinting at the hidden meaning.  While considered a Lesbian cult film, the movie is actually a commentary on the rather inhuman Prussian educational system and the cast's reaction to it.

The film had some impact in the Berlin lesbian clubs around Budapester Straße and Rankenstraße, but was largely eclipsed by the ongoing cult success of Der blaue Engel (1930).  The film did however generate large amounts of fan-mail to the stars from all over Germany and was considered a success throughout much of Europe.  The goodnight kiss Thiele received from Wieck was especially popular: one distributor even asked for more footage of other kisses like it to splice into prints of the film. From its premiere at the Capitol cinema in Berlin until 1934, the film is said to have grossed some RM 6,000,000.  Despite the collective nature of the filming, for which cast and crew received only a quarter of the normal wage, none saw a share of the 6,000,000 Marks and Thiele later hinted that the profits had been mostly retained by the producers.  The film was distributed by Weissenbach outside Germany and was a huge success in Romania.  Later, an alternate ending, which subtly pandered to pro-Nazi ideals, enabled continued screening in German cinemas but eventually even this version of the film was banned as 'decadent' by the Nazi regime, which reportedly attempted to burn all of the existing prints; but by then several had been dispersed around the world.  Sagan and many others associated with the film fled Germany soon after the ban. Many of the cast and crew were Jewish and those who could not escape from Germany died in the camps. "You were only first aware that they were Jewish when fascism was there and you lost your friends," said Thiele, who left Germany in 1937.  Assistant director Walter Supper killed himself, when it became clear his Jewish wife would be arrested.

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES.  

APPROXIMATELY 83 MINUTES.  DIGITAL QUALITY

MADCHEN IN UNIFORM  (1958):

Ein Remake des gleichnamigen Films von 1931: Um 1910 zieht Manuela von Meinhardt nach dem Tode ihrer Mutter in ein Stift für höhere Töchter nach Potsdam. Ihre wichtigste Bezugsperson in der neuen Umgebung wird die verständige Lehrerin Fräulein von Bernburg, in die sich Manuela verliebt. Fräulein von Bernburg nimmt sich Manuelas an, und nach der Aufführung des Stücks "Romeo und Julia", bei dem Manuela den Romeo gibt, kommt es zum Eklat. Die strenge Oberin wird Zeugin einer Liebeserklärung Manuelas, woraufhin sie nicht nur Manuela aus dem Stift entfernen lassen, sondern auch Fräulein von Bernburg hinauswerfen will.  

A remark of the 1931 film of the same name:  Around 1910, Manuela von Meinhardt enters a home for young ladies after her mother passes away.  The most important person in her new environment is her intelligent teacher, Fraulein von Bernburg, with whom Manuela falls in love.  During a performance of “Romeo and Juliet”, in which Manuela plays the role of Romeo, the situation comes to a head.  The strict headmistress witnesses a declaration of love by Manuela for her teacher and not only throws the girl out of the school, but also wants to terminate Fraulein von Bernburg’s employment. 

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES.  

APPROXIMATELY 90 MINUTES.  VERY GOOD QUALITY 

Approx.  173 minutes total

PLEASE NOTE THAT SWITCHABLE (SOFT) SUBTITLES WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLE BELOW.  IF YOU SEE SUBTITLES, THEN THEY ARE HARD-ENCODED (meaning, they cannot be turned off when viewing the film):