Schmalstich's film work began with a "Kultur-film" about Goethe, and the heyday of Ufa-Kulturfilms is tied up with his name. Above all he composed the music for the culture-films "Das Wort aus Stein" (1939) and "Nürnberg, die Stadt der Reichsparteitage" (1940). The films made in 1945, "Das Jahr der Elche" and "Frauenturne" ("Anmut und Kraft. Frauensport unter der Zeitlupe") were first premiered during the 1957 Berlin Festival.