by Hal Erickson
synopsis
Das Leben Beginnt Mit 17 (Life Begins at 17) is adapted from a novel by Gabor von Vaszary. Sonja Liebermann plays Madeleine, an unhappy 14-year-old who is habitually neglected by her wealthy mother Aline (Anne-Marie Blanc). When Aline is killed in an accident, her lover Raymond (Paul Humschmid), feeling responsible, takes Madeleine into his home. The girl instantly falls in love with Raymond, but he insists upon honoring proprieties, putting her off by saying "Wait until you're 17." The thing of it is, he has already fallen in love with her, but he refuses to cause her the same emotional pain that he'd inflicted on her mother. Despite its darker aspects, Das Leben Beginnt Mit 17 is essentially upbeat entertainment.
