SFF26 - The Mountain of Destiny (1924) (PG)

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1924. Director: Arnold Fanck. Runtime: 95min.

A landmark of early mountain cinema, celebrated for its breathtaking alpine scenery and exhilarating realism, where physical endurance and cinematic ambition collide.

Director Arnold Fanck coined the term ‘Natur-Spielfilm’ to describe this genre-defying natural-world drama, set amidst the vertiginous rock faces of the High Alps and photographed with enthralling clarity and scale. The story follows a young man who has vowed to his mother that he will never attempt to reach the summit of the formidable Guglia del Diavolo, the mountain on which his father died years earlier.

His resolve is tested when his childhood friend Hella decides that she can conquer the mountain. When she gets into difficulty, the young man must decide between honouring his promise and risking everything to save her. Central to the film’s success are the performers, notably Olympic ski champion Hannes Schneider (the father) and professional mountaineer Luis Trenker (his adult son) who perform climbs and descents that are genuinely awe-inspiring, even today.

With: Hannes Schneider, Frida Richard, Erna Morena, Luis Trenker

Original title: Der Berg des Schicksals

Performing live: Günter Buchwald (piano, violin), Frank Bockius (percussion)

Online programme notes: Steve Scott A film from the holdings of the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Stiftung (www.murnau-stiftung.de) in Wiesbaden.