Hans Holt Movies
- 1978
A bold knight who takes on the evil members of Emperor Maximilian's service becomes a wanted man. (In German with English subtitles) ~ All Movie Guide
- 1962
Disney's Almost Angels utilizes the legendary Vienna Boys' Choir as a backdrop for a corny but effective fictional yarn. Vincent Winter plays a train conductor's son, who aspire to join the choir. Upon joining the group, he runs afoul of fellow member Sean Scully, but the two eventually become friends. When Scully begins growing out of his soprano voice, Winter arranges for another boy in the choir to "cover" for his lyp-synching pal. Feeling guilty about the deception, Scully is about to quit the group, when he appointed assistant conductor thanks to his faithful service over the past few seasons. During an international tour, both Scully and new soloist Winter receive standing ovations. To remove the "sissy" onus from the Vienna Boys' Choir, the Disney staff goes to great length to show how the boys are regular, trouble-prone kids; even so, there's a scene wherein several of the boys are required to dress as girls for a public performance! Almost Angels performed adequately at the box office, but fared better as a two-parter on Walt Disney's Sunday night TV series. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Weck, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1959
This routine melodrama by Veidt Harlan tells a well-worn tale of friction between a little eight-year-old girl and her new stepmother (Kristina Soederbaum). After her widowed father remarries, the girl makes life as unbearable as she can for her stepmother. Nothing seems to be able to change her attitude which is not improved after her stepmother gets pregnant. It is only when the stepmother is in the hospital to deliver twins and faces the danger of dying that the little girl realizes her behavior was wrong and is finally able to accept her life as it is. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kristina Soderbaum, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1959
This musical drama is not quite up to the level of its 1956 prequel, Die Trapp Familie -- the inspiration for the immensely popular The Sound of Music. Now the famous singing family, having survived World War II by escaping Austria, are in the U.S. and trying to make a go of it. Their voices are excellent and their talent is obvious, yet the Baroness Maria von Trapp (Ruth Leuwerik) and the Baron (Hans Holt) cannot figure out why they are not more popular. They can barely get an audience together. After much trial and tribulation, it hits them that maybe the fault lies in the songs they choose to perform, so a rehaul of their program is in order. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1958
As can be gathered from its title, which translates to Vienna, City of My Dreams, this film is an old-fashioned Austrian comedy with operatic undertones. Hans Holt stars as the obligatory incognito king, in this case one "Alexander of Alania." Escaping a revolution, Alexander takes a job as chauffeur in his own country's embassy in Vienna. Gaining popularity for this move, the King is invited by popular demand to return to his throne. By this time, he has fallen in love with pretty commoner Elisabeth Seyboldt (Hertha Feller), while Alexander's one-time fiancee, Princess Sandra (Erika Remberg), has found happiness in the arms of music teacher Peter Lehnert (Adrian Hoven,the story's nominal hero). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrian Hoven, Erika Remberg, (more)
- 1958
Based on the popular Franz Werfel novel, Der Vernuntreute Himmel (The Embezzled Heaven) was deftly directed with both eyes on the box office by operetta specialist Ernst Marischka. Annie Rosar heads the cast as the naively pious Aunt Teta, who is certain that she will be assured a place in heaven by performing one good deed. That deed is to bestow her life savings upon her spoiled-rotten nephew Mojmir (Kurt Meisel) so that he may be able to afford to study for the priesthood. Of course, Mojmir has no such intentions, but he's certainly not above taking Aunt Teta's money. The melodramatic machinations of the storyline are largely forgotten during the film's spectacular climax, largely shot on location inside the Vatican. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Annie Rosar, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1956
A free-spirited nun is sent to work as the nanny for an Austrian baron's seven children and helps them to become a renowned singing group. The Baron is a good man, but he runs his family with the discipline of a drill sergeant. The former novitiate feels that children should be allowed to have fun and so teaches them to start enjoying life. She also encourages the talented septet to sing. When the Baron discovers his children acting frivolously, he is enraged. He is just about to fire her when he hears the sweet singing of his children. He keeps her on a little longer and even begins falling in love with her. But then she must return to her convent to renounce her vows. Later they are reunited and the family begins traveling and singing until the Nazis take over and the Trapp family is forced to flee to the U.S. Based on a true story, it was later reworked and remade as the classic musical The Sound of Music. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1955
Heimatland (Homeland) is based on Krambambuli, a novel by Maria von Ebner-Eschenbachs. Krambambuli is the name of the pet dog owned by hero Thomas Helmberg (Rudolf Frack). As Thomas pursues his romance with Helga Sonnleithner (Marianne Hold), he is thwarted at every turn by his rival for Helga's hand, Hans Bachinger (Adrian Hoven). In a parallel development, Krambambuli likewise battles for the affections of a female pooch. So important is the dog to the proceedings that the animal portraying Krambambuli--whose name, believe it or not, was Hatti von Fernstein--is given special billing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rudolf Prack, Adrian Hoven, (more)
- 1953
Though the English-language title of this Austrian musical is Emperor Waltz, the film bears no relation to the 1948 Hollywood comedy of the same name. The story is that old chestnut about a lighthearted archduke who poses as his servant to see how the other half lives. In this guise, our hero falls in love with a commoner, a pretty schoolteacher. Will it be "Duty before Love," or the other way around this time? Austrian musicomedy favorite Rudolf Prack stars as the vacationing nobleman, while Winnie Markus co-stars as the schoolmarm. The songs are adapted from tunes written by Johan Strauss a century or so earlier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rudolf Prack
- 1950
A German language movie--a comedy about an ice skating troupe worried about the devious actions of their manager. No subtitles. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1949
Per the title of this Austrian melodrama, much of the action takes place in Satan's domain. The devil, played by Hans Holt, decides to make life a living you-know-what for a nightclub singer. This he does by trying to sabotage the singer's romance with an artist. The cast is wildly variable, with relative newcomer Vera Molnar coming off best, at least in the eyes of the critics in 1949. It is remotely possible that Hoellische Liebe served as one of the influences for the much-later Disney comedy/fantasy The Devil and Max Devlin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elfie Mayerhofer, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1949
Singenda Engel, released in English-speaking countries of Singing Angels, purports to relate the history of the Vienna Singing Boys Society. Weaving in and out of the screenplay are selected events from the life of the Society's spiritual mentor, composer Josef "Papa" Haydn. Hans Holt stars as Haydn, while the current members of the Society appear as themselves. As would be the case in the 1962 Disney film Almost Angels (set amongst the performers of the Vienna Boys Choir), the film is at its best when the canary-voiced choristers exhibit non-angelic behavior. Running a full two hours, Singing Angels had trouble securing double-feature bookings outside of Austria. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans Holt
