Het Meisje en de Dood

Tannenfeld, near Leipzig; an elderly gentleman exits a stationary train at a deserted train station. His knows the way to the once stately home somewhat outside of town from days gone by. In a flashback the tragic love story between the young Russian Nicolai and the beautiful courtesan Elise is narrated. He's on the way to Paris to study medicine and intends to spend merely a single night in the pension hotel; then however he encounters the enchanting girl and falls in love in a heartbeat.
Thus he remains, only to quickly discover that Elise "works" in the pension and that he represents somewhat of a thorn in the side of her protege, a well-to-do earl.
The latter is able to offer Elise a life of luxury entirely beyond the means of the penniless student. Yet Nicolai doesn't lose heart, and instead returns years later as a qualified doctor. Time has stood still in the pension however; the only notable change being the deterioration in Elise’s health.
She suffers from tuberculosis and would appear to be at death's door...
HET MEISJE EN DE DOOD is a melodrama which boasts emotional depth, wonderful Belle fpoque costumes, opulent interiors and a star-studded cast featuring the shooting star of Dutch cinema Sylvia Hoeks, the well-established Russian actors and actresses Renata Litvinova, Sergey Mako- vetsky and Leonid Bichevin as well as an unexpected appearance by German comedian Dieter Hallervorden in the role of the wicked earl.