Der Weg zu Isabel

The German estate owner Corner travels to Marseilles, looking for his daughter. He had a relationship with a French aristocrat before the World War and knows she was pregnant, when he had to return to Germany. The War separated them however and the mother died giving birth to his child. He knows neither the name of his daughter, nor where she is living. A lawyer named Beauchamps is tasked with finding her and one days introduces a young singer named Isabel to him. She is with great probability the one, who is being sought. She follows her father back to Germany, but only with great reluctance.

Directed by Erich Engel, Der Weg zu Isabel leans on a strong ensemble — Hilde Krahl, Ewald Balser, Maria Koppenhöfer — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1940.