Harry Hardt Movies
- 1972
- R
This British/German horrorama was the sequel to....drum roll please....Mark of the Devil (1970). The original film starred Herbert Lom as a "burning judge" preying upon accused witches in 18th century Austria. Anton Diffring substitutes for Herebert Lom in Part 2, but the basic premise remains intact. The overall tenor of the film is implicit in its alternate English-language title, Witches: Violated and Tortured to Death. Neither the original nor the sequel to Mark of the Devil had anything to do with the similarly titled 1985 Val Guest production. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Josefine is a teenage streetwalker in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century in this erotic comedy. She manages to sleep her way to the top by marrying a British aristocrat, and she delights in telling ribald stories of her sordid past to moralistic prudes. Christine Schubert plays Josefine as a 17-year-old, while Kai Fischer portrays the 40-year-old woman with grace, humor and confidence. Screenwriter Kurt Nachmann makes his directorial debut. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kai Fischer, Christine Schuberth, (more)
- 1969
This feature examines the sexual attitudes and practices of Germans for the last 2000 years. The naked barbarians were clothed by Christian missionaries and women relegated to second-class citizens for centuries. Songs and stories relate the invention of the chastity belt, the introduction of syphilis to the country and the wild fluctuation of public attitudes on sex. From the intolerance of the Hitler regime to the decadence of the post-World Wars era, the Teutonic attitudes and mores have changed with the times and were often a measure of political pressure and moralistic rigidity. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- 1955
This 1955 drama was based - like Istvan Szabo's masterful Colonel Redl (1985) - on the life story of Alfred Redl, a Ukrainian man who worked his way up through the hierarchy of the Austrian army in the early 20th century, while concealing his own homosexuality. In time, when others learn of his gayness, Redl is blackmailed by the Russians into taking counter-espionage maneuvers against the Austrians, and is ultimately forced to commit suicide. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ewald Balser
- 1954
Director Paul Verhoeven manages to cut through the sentimental strudel in this biopic of "waltz king" Johann Strauss. Future filmmaker Bernhard Wicki plays Strauss, conveying the charisma and genius of the man without digging too deeply into what made the composer tick. The highlights of Strauss' life are handled sketchily, albeit played out before some of the most gorgeous Viennese locations ever committed to film. The picture's strong suit is its musical score, drawn in toto from Strauss' works. Filmed in 1954, Eternal Waltz was released to the U.S. via television five years later. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Das Verlorene Tal (Lost Valley) is based on the best-selling novel of the same name. Set in the German Alps, the plot focuses on a naïve young girl (Marie Louise Claudius) who is left all alone when her sweetheart (Mathias Weisman) is called away on business. Not long afterward, the girl succumbs to the seductive charms of a city slicker (Olaf Bach). The results are disastrous, resulting in guilt, renunciations, recriminations, and at least one suicide. Excellent location photography helps the viewer forget the film's many narrative shortcomings. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mathias Wiemann, Marieluise Claudius, (more)
- 1936
A popular novel by Richard Henry Savage was the springboard for Seine Offizielle Frau (My Official Wife). The story is set in 1910 with the action evenly divided between Paris and St. Petersburg. Basically a comedy, the story concerns a high-ranking British official named Colonel Lenox (George Alexander) who is forced by diplomatic circumstances to pretend that one Mme. Helene (Renate Muller) is his wife. All well and good -- except that the Colonel is already married! My Official Wife was first filmed by Vitagraph in 1916 -- and, contrary to popular belief, did not feature Bolshevik leader Leon Trotsky in the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Renate Mueller, George Alexander, (more)
- 1936
The music of Johann Strauss counterbalances the various intrigues in Ein Liebesroman im Hause Habsburg (A Romance in the House of Hapsburg). Karl Ludwig Diehl stars as military activist Johann Salvador, who plots to place Austro-Hungarian Prince Rudolph (Paul Richter) on the Bulgarian throne. This displeases Emperor Franz Josef I (Paul Otto) and Russia's Czar Alexander II (Fritz Alberti). Surprisingly, Salvador is aided in his mission by Olga (Ellen Richter), the wife of the Russian ambassador. But when our hero falls in love with cabaret singer Milly Stubel (Greti Thelmer), the scorned Olga plans a wicked revenge. Despite its many crosses and double-crosses, the film is basically a romantic comedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Otto, Paul Richter, (more)
- 1936
Der Bettelstudent (The Beggar Student) was based on the same-named operetta by Carl Miloecker. The plot is implicit in the title, as a seemingly impoverished scholar triumphs over his wealthier rivals and claims the girl of his dreams. Such German film favorites as Fritz Kampers, Ida Wuest and Marika Roekk do not disappoint their fans as they go through their customary musical paces. There's also room for some traditional comedy relief, handled in traditional fashion by Ernst Behmer. The highlight of Der Bettlestudent is the second-act ballet, splendiferously photographed by a full cadre of UFA cameramen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marika Rökk, Fritz Kampers, (more)
- 1932
Case Van Geldern is an excellent detective thriller with some genuinely surprising plot turns. Co-adapted by Hans Hyan from his own novel, the story concerns a lawyer who is accused of murdering his wife. The only person who knows the truth is a former client of the lawyer, a career criminal currently serving a lengthy prison term. Out of sympathy for the lawyer, the crook breaks out of jail just long enough to prove his old friend's innocence and track down the genuine killer. Reviewers in 1932 enjoyed Case Van Geldern but felt that the film's song numbers were extraneous. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Richter, Ellen Richter, (more)
- 1932
Brigette Helm stars as a disillusioned movie extra who makes a speedy exit from a Viennese movie studio while still wearing her elegant costume. She heads off to a resort in Monte Cristo, where she poses as a wealthy countess (she's certainly dressed for it!) Jewel thief Gustaf Gruendgens and swindler Rudolf Forster help Helm carry off her masquerade for larcenous reasons of their own, but Forster spoils everyone's plans by falling in love with the girl. Graefin von Monte Cristo served as the basis for the 1934 Universal comedy The Countess of Monte Cristo, with Fay Wray in the starring role. The property was remade in 1948 as a musical vehicle for skating-star Sonja Henie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Helm, Rudolf Forster, (more)
- 1931
Allegedly based on a true story, Im Geheimdienst (Secret Service) takes place during WWI. German spy Willy Fritsch, posing as an American violinist, manages to move within the uppermost circles of Russian society with impunity. He inveigles Brigitte Helm, the wife of Russian general Oscar Homolka, into stealing a cache of secret documents. Facing death at every turn, Helm accomplishes her task, and together with her new lover Fritsch escapes to Sweden. This was considered to be a happy ending, but of course no one asked the poor general. Some sources indicate that Willy Fritsch did his own violin-playing in Im Geheimdienst, but this may not have been the case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Helm, Willy Fritsch, (more)
- 1931
The legendary European clown Grock plays himself in this lachrymose German biopic. Celebrated by countless admirers as the funniest man in the world, Grock was in real life one of God's most miserable creatures -- at least, that's what it says here. The plot follows along these Pagliacci lines for well over 90 minutes, evenly balancing laughter and tears throughout. Not surprisingly, the film's highlights are its re-creations of Grock's more famous stage routines, in which he is assisted by his longtime partner Max von Emblen. Reportedly, $150,000 was expended on this production -- not so lofty a sum by Hollywood standards, but a veritable fortune in Germany. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liane Haid, Betty Bird, (more)
- 1930
Der Greifer translates as The Copper -- and, yes, this is a detective yarn. Hero Hans Albers, representing Scotland Yard, mingles with the cream of British society to bring a murderer to justice. Greeting everyone, friend and foe alike, with the same off-handed cheerfulness, Albers is able to put the culprit "at ease" long enough to tighten the noose. And, of course, he wins the girl, fetchingly played by Charlotte Susa. As often happened in German films of this period, the depiction of British aristocrats in Der Greifer is too broad and stereotyped to be believable -- though to be fair, German characters were treated in much the same manner in British films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charlotte Susa, Hans Albers, (more)
- 1930
Filmed silent, Hungarian Nights was released in the U.S. in mid-1930, giving at least a few days' work to the leftover movie-theater musicians. The story focuses on the menage a trois involving Captain Bartok (Hans Stuewe), Col. Reckoczi (Alexander Murski) and the colonel's wife Coraly (Lil Dagover). The plotline is occasionally broken up by drunken bacchanals and angry-peasant mob scenes. When distributed in America, the subtitles were printed in both English and German, giving them a "textbook" appearance which had the effect of taking the audience "out" of the picture. Cast in a small role is Viet Harlan, later one of the most prominent directors of the Nazi era. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wilhelm Diegelmann, Daisy D'Ora, (more)
- 1930
This German musical melodrama was released stateside as Echo of a Dream. Hans Stuwe plays the son of Rumanian aristocrat Harry Hardt. In accordance with his father's wishes, Stuwe seeks out a peasant bride to strengthen his hereditary blood for the benefit of his progeny. The girl chosen is Maly Delschaft, whom Stuwe all but kidnaps from a village celebration. But there's a hitch in the hero's plans in the form of priest Eugen Rex, who was all set to renounce his vows for Delschaft's sake. Even though there's now a baby on the way, the heroine forsakes Stuwe in favor of the self-sacrificing Rex. Such niceties as character development and logic are forgotten to make room for four robust musical numbers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans Stüwe, Maly Delschaft, (more)
- 1928
Bondage was originally released in Germany as Rutschbahn. Advertised as "an epic of Russia," the story is set in the 1850s, during a pitched battle between disgruntled peasants and well-armed Cossacks. This seems to have been sparked by the romance between a young Count (Heinrich George) and a serf girl (Mona Maris), a union opposed not only by the Count's family but also by the Royal Army, which hands the hero a dishonorable discharge. About to be sent to Siberia, the boy and the girl are swept up in a peasant uprising, leading to a spectacularly bloody finale. Ironically, leading man Heinrich George would ultimately die in a Soviet concentration camp, having been arrested for his unregenerate pro-Nazi sentiments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heinrich George, Louis Lerch, (more)
