Pierre Richard-Willm Movies

The same year that the great European actor Harry Baur played mad Czar Paul I in Le Patriote, he also played another celebrated Russian looney in Rasputin (original title: La Tragedie Imperiale). Unlike most interpretations of the infamous peasant-monk, Baur's Rasputin is a multifaceted character, as much saint as sinner. He is shown to be sincere in his belief that his self-styled magic powers are best utilized in the service of Czar Nicholas and the Royal Family. Alas, Rasputin is also prone to a multitude of human frailties, notably the temptation to allow absolute power to corrupt him absolutely. Whatever one might think of the life of Rasputin, one cannot deny that he left that life in a grostequely spectacular fashion, which Baur and director Marcel L'Herbier recreate in all its vividly gory splendor. Rasputin was based on a novel by Alfred Neumann. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This bit of elegant esoterica was Max Ophuls' only directorial effort for 1937. Japanese matinee idol Sessue Hayakawa made a long-overdue return to films as Yaamo, a humble Chinese coolie in love with the beautiful and aristocratic Kohana (Michiko Tanaka). Following her father's suicide, Kohana is reduced to working as a Geisha girl, and it is in this capacity that she meets Russian naval officer Serge Polinoff (Pierre-Richard Willm), who marries the girl and takes her back to his homeland. Now regarding Kohana as a traitor, Yaamo swears vengeance on both the girl and her Russian husband. At film's end, only Kohana is left alive, which in context is surprising indeed. The Japanese government issued a formal complaint about the content of Yoshiwara, but French moviegoers were not yet conditioned to take such things seriously, and the film was a hit. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this French drama, a daring young woman falls in love with a strange inventor. She is quite the adventuress and has five handsome young pilots teach her to fly. They are contemptuous of the mousy inventor until the impetuous lass takes off by herself in a plane to set a record and ends up lost in a terrible storm. To save her, all of the rivals team up and begin their desperate search. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Le Prince Jean is based on a play by Charles Mere, which in turn was reportedly inspired by a true story. Pierre Richard-Willm stars as wastrelly Prince Jean d'Axel, who drops out of public view to join the French Foreign Legion. Upon his return to his native country five years later, the Prince discovers his throne has been stolen by pretenders. This not only puts a crimp in his leadership abilities, but also threatens to squelch his romance with the beautiful Claire d'Arlong (Natalie Paley). Summoning the intestinal fortitude which he'd gleaned during his years with the Legion, Prince Jean regains his throne and his lady fair. Le Prince Jean was distributed worldwide by Hollywood-based 20th Century-Fox. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

As the title indicates, the central "character" in this German drama is a Stradivarius violin. Somehow or other, the instrument continually brings bad luck to its owner, Hungarian military officer Teleky (Pierre Richard Wilm). Hoping to make a living as a musician after WWI, Teleky is forced to give up this dream when he is wounded on the battlefield. Adding insult to injury, his doctor (Jean Galland) falls in love with Teleky's sweetheart! Apparently figuring that our hero needs at least one break, the doctor gallantly steps aside, allow Teleky and his girl to enjoy a happy ending. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Jacques Feyder's sole directorial contribution in 1934 (and his first film since 1931) was the superior Foreign Legion melodrama Le Grand Jeu (The Full Deck). Scripted by frequent Feyder collaborator Charles Spaak, the film focuses on Pierre Martel (Pierre Richard-Willm), whose efforts to support his beloved Florence (Marie Bell) in the style to which she's accustomed cause him to run afoul of the Law. Escaping a charge of embezzlement, Pierre signs up with the Foreign Legion, intending to "forget." After a particularly violent skirmish with the natives, Pierre briefly loses his memory, whereupon he begins keeping time with Irma, a sexy camp-follower whom he imagines to be Florence. When his tour of duty is over, Pierre prepares to return home to Paris to collect an unexpected inheritance. Reunited with the real Florence, he finds he cannot get over Irma, the little trollop who gave him a new lease on life back in the desert. Unwilling to go back to France without Irma, Pierre returns to the Foreign Legion -- where, inevitably, he meets his doom. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The title of this WWI drama translates as Under the Leather Helmet. Set in Rumania, the film focuses on a female secret agent who intends to use an airplane to fly behind enemy lines. While she awaits her flight to destiny, the girl spends several days with a French flying squadron. Her sexy presence causes the pilots to begin fighting among themselves, resulting in disaster for all concerned. A brief musical interlude features the American dancing duo Stone & Vernon, whose presence makes about as much sense as the rest of the film. Sour le Casque de Cuir is a variation on a theme that has been replayed many times in such films as Station Six Sahara and Once Before I Die. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi