Lilian Harvey Movies

In her last film appearance, international musical favorite Lillian Harvey plays Miquette, whose beauty and vivacity increases the clientele of her mother's tobacco shop. A Barrymoresque actor (Lucien Baroux) believes that Miquette has star potential, but he hasn't sufficient capital to finance her theatrical debut. He manages to get the money by practicing a bit of genteel blackmail on an aging marquis (Andre Lefaur) who has romantic designs on the heroine. All ends happily when Miquette finally chooses a sweetheart -- who turns out to be the marquis' virtuous nephew (Daniel Clerice). Miquette was directed by Jean Boyer, who'd previously helmed several of the French versions of Lillian Harvey's German pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The luminescent Lillian Harvey plays the title character in the historical drama Fanny Elssler. In hopes of preventing Napoleon's son, the Duke of Reichstadt (Rolf Moebius), from establishing another dynasty in France, Prince Metternich of Austria (Paul Hoffman) introduces the Duke to beautiful ballerina Fanny. The Prince hopes that Reichstadt will fall in love with Fanny, thereby forgetting his plans for conquest. But Metternich didn't intend for Fanny to fall in love with the Duke -- and when she does, she is deported. For the rest of the film, the lovers try to stage a reunion, only to be thwarted by Metternich's anti-royalist minions. In the film's lachrymose finale, Fanny Ellsler learns that her beloved Reichstadt has succumbed to tuberculosis, but she must fight back her tears and return to the ballet stage. It was a scene that Lillian Harvey had played on several different occasions in several different vehicles, but she always managed to make it seem as though it was happening for the first time. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Released in Germany as Schwarze Rosen, Black Roses represented the return to UFA studios of British musical comedy favorite Lillian Harvey, after several years in Hollywood. The delectable Harvey plays a Russian ballerina, stranded in turn-of-the-century Finland. She falls in love with sculptor Esmond Knight, a political dissident with a price on his head. To save Knight, Harvey spends the night with Tsarist governor Robert Rendel. The story is based on the real-life ballerina Marina Feodorovna, who ended up sacrificing her life on behalf of her lover. Black Roses was filmed in three languages: German, French and English; the English version was originally titled Did I Betray? ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

International musical-comedy favorite Lillian Harvey is as delightful as ever in the bizarre romantic tunefest I Am Suzanne. In a plotline curiously similar to the much-later Lili, Harvey is cast as Suzanne, a crippled dancer in love with young, self-involved puppeteer Tony (Gene Raymond), who finds it easier to talk to his wooden-headed creations than to human beings. Growing jealous of her puppet "rivals," Suzanne actually shoots a puppet designed in her image -- which leads to a bizarre dream sequence, in which the heroine is put on trial by the King and Queen of Puppet Land (played by Podrecca's Piccoli Marionettes). In time, Suzanne recovers from her lameness and enjoys a happily-after-ever denouement with Tony, no thanks to her Svengali-like manager Baron (Leslie Banks). Rowland V. Lee's direction of I Am Suzanne is almost as Germanically symbolic as his later handling of Universal's Tower of London and Son of Frankenstein. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The charming and effervescent continental film star Lillian Harvey made her Hollywood debut in My Weakness. Borrowing a page or two from Pygmalion, the plot is hinged on a wager made between playboy Ronnie Gregory (Lew Ayres) and his crusty uncle Ellery (Henry Travers). Ronny bets that he can transform kitchen slavey Looloo Blake (our girl Harvey) into a fashionable society belle, which he does -- but he hadn't counted upon falling in love with the girl along the way. Supervising the proceedings is baby-faced comedian Harry Langdon in one of his best talkie roles as a whimsical Cupid. Clearly inspired by the Lubitsch and Clair musical semi-fantasies then in vogue, My Weakness is replete with rhyming dialogue, talking animals, and even a singing statue of Auguste Rodin's The Thinker. The Buddy G. DeSylva-Leo Robin-Richard Whiting score is largely unmemorable save for Gather Lip Rouge While You May, which deserves a gold star for the title alone. My Weakness was the first of three Lillian Harvey vehicles for Fox Studios, filmed back-to-back to accommodate her busy European movie schedule. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The Hollywood debut of German star Lillian Harvey, this film operetta was held back in favor of Harvey's second outing, My Weakness (1933), which, despite its title, was considered a stronger effort. In My Lips Betray, the erstwhile star of Congress Dances plays Lili, a café singer mistakenly believed to be the mistress of King Rupert of Rutania. A composer of love songs in his spare time, the King (John Boles) is immediately smitten with both Lili's voice and Lili herself. The girl, however, erroneously takes him for a mere captain of the guard and keeps up the charade that has made her popular all over the land. Rutania is in dire economic strains, meanwhile, and Rupert is all but forced to marry a wealthy foreign princess. But when the latter hears about her fiancé's supposed dalliance with a café chanteuse, she elopes to Paris with a tango dancer and Rutania once again faces bankruptcy. Happily, there is oil in them thar hills and King Rupert is finally free to tell Lili the truth and ask her to become his queen. Lillian Harvey and John Boles take time out from romance to sing "I'll Build a Nest," "To Romance," and "Why Am I Happy?," all by William Kernell, while comic relief El Brendel performs "His Majesty's Car." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi

Though Lillian Harvey is the star of Quick, the title character is played by the versatile French character actor Jules Berry. The story is set among an acting troupe, with leading lady Harvey falling in love with a clown. However, she loves him only when they're on stage together; offstage, Harvey barely acknowledges Berry's existence. It takes a lot of work on Berry's part before the heroine finally learns to love him for himself, and not just for the character he plays. Quick is the French-language version of the German musical drama of the same name, in which Lillian Harvey co-starred with Hans Albers. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Zwei Herzen in Ein Schlag (Two Hearts in One Beat) is a tailor-made vehicle for popular musical star Lillian Harvey. Usually cast opposite Willy Fritsch, Harvey is here co-starred with a new screen partner, newcomer Wolfgang Albach-Retty. The story concerns Jenny (Harvey), a cabaret performer who aspires to an operatic career, and her husband, waiter Victor (Albach-Retty). Achieving success on stage, Jenny decides to divorce Victor and marry a nobleman, but her husband refuses to consider such a thing. Jenny then sets about to goad Victor into treating her with cruelty, thereby giving her grounds for divorce. By the time he responds to her efforts, however, she's fallen in love with him all over again. Star Lillian Harvey and director William Thiele also collaborated on the French-language version, La Fille et le Garcon. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Nie Wieder Liebe (Never Again Love) is based on Dover to Calais, a stage play by Julius Bertral. Having nearly bankrupted himself through a series of a disastrous love affairs, hero Harry Liedtke promises that he will not come anywhere near a woman for five years. To strengthen his resolve, he backs up his promise with a $500,000 bet. With the help of his valet, Liedtke successful eludes every female within touching distance -- but just before the five-year time limit is up, he is obliged to rescue gorgeous Lilian Harvey from a fate worse than death. It turns out that Harvey was hired to make certain that Liedtke would lose his bet, but just before she kisses him as planned, she realizes that she's fallen in love with him -- whereupon she dedicates herself to seeing that Leidtke will keep his promise, and his money after all. Director Anatole Litwak (later billed as Litvak) also helmed the French-language version, Calais-Douvres. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi