Darkness Fell on Gotenhafen (1960) DVD-R

Starring Sonja Ziemann, Gunnar Möller, Erik Schumann, Brigitte Horney, Mady Rahl, Erich Dunskus

Director: Frank Wisbar
Print: Black and White
Runtime: 99 min.
Genre: Drama
Language: German
Subtitle: English

Germany, shortly before the end of the Second World War. Kicked out of her mother-in-law's home after revealing she's having another man's child, Maria leaves bomb-blasted Berlin for a friend's estate in East Prussia. But when the Soviets penetrate into the Reich in January 1945, she and her neighbors must abandon everything and flee from the Red Army. In the last moment, they're able to board the former luxury liner Wilhelm Gustloff, which is to bring them west, where "safety" awaits them. Maria's relieved to be on this huge ship, now overfilled with 6,000 refugees. The boat's big and it should be able to outrun any submarine danger, which, it seems, shouldn't be a problem as the Germans still pretty much control the Baltic. But someone should have told Maria the story of the Lusitania: the Gustloff is soon torpedoed by a Soviet sub and only 900 people are able to be rescued.