Egon Von Jordan Movies
- 1971
This German language suspense film is based on a quite long best-selling novel of the same name by Johannes Mario Simmel and condenses the novel's complex story using flashbacks and rapid movement between locations. When a young man (Alain Noury) goes to Vienna to try to solve the mystery of his industrialist father's assassination, his investigation leads to events that took place in Vienna in 1939. It also infringes on secrets important to all the Allied Force secret services (French, Russian, American and British), so much so that they forget their natural antagonism and join forces to try and stop the young man in his quest for answers. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- 1962
The trilogy on Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria and his queen Empress Elizabeth by director Ernest Marischka has been cut and spliced to make this interesting though slow-paced, two and a half-hour compilation costume drama. The tale starts out with the courtship of the future queen, known as "Sissi" (Romy Schneider, who made her screen debut in the first of the three dramas), an attractive and lively young woman. After Franz Josef (Karl Boehm) falls in loves and captures Sissi's heart, they plan their wedding and head into the topic of the second feature in the series, the coronation of Franz Josef in Budapest. Finally, Sissi is shown as being instrumental in helping to keep the peace -- or obtain it -- among the belligerent nations of Europe. The original titles of each of the three separate dramas were Sissi, Sissi, die Junge Kaiserin, and Sissi, Schicksalsjahre Einer Kaiserin. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Romy Schneider, Carl Boehm, (more)
This is a deft satire by Axel von Ambesser that undercuts the adage that a soldier must always obey orders, no matter what. At the heart of the story is Schwejk (Heinz Ruhmann), a canine salesman who is drafted into the army during World War I. The setting is Bohemia when it was under the sway of a combined Austro-Hungarian rule. Once Schwejk has his uniform on he so devotedly follows the very letter of the law, every order that is given him, that he comes off as a total idiot. Nevertheless, he manages quite well with this tactic, whether it is feigned or not. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- 1958
The English-language title of this colorful Austrian operetta is Trees Are Blooming in Vienna. Johanna Matz stars as Lixie Haertel, a plain-Jane who is "beautified" by romance. In time-honored operetta tradition, the love of Lixie's life happens to be a member of the royal family -- to be exact, Archduke Peter (Gerhard Riedmann). The course of true love never runs very smoothly, but no matter how dire the circumstances, the leading characters always find time to break into song. Adapted from a stage play by Rudolf Oesterreicher and Siegfried Geyer, Im Prate Bluch'n Wieder die Baueme benefits from the lilting musical score of Robert Stolz and the cinematography of Willi Sohm. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Johanna Matz, Gerhard Riedmann, (more)
- 1956
Trouble rears its ugly head when the young emperor and empress of Austria arrive in Budapest for their coronation. ~ Rovi
- Starring:
- Romy Schneider
- 1953
In this drama, an Austrian taxi driver dreams of going to the US, but cannot as he has no papers nor identification. One day, an American businessman is waiting for his cab, when another man kills him. The quick-thinking cabbie grabs the dead man's papers and takes over his identity. Later he falls in love with the wife of the killer who thinks that the cab driver is the killer. He finally convinces her that he is innocent, and together they try to flee to America with the killer in hot pursuit. Both the cabby and the killer are captured but the former receives a small sentence. His new love decides to wait for him and happiness ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Francis Lederer, Donald Buka, (more)
- 1952
The scene is postwar Vienna. Displaced person Toni Sponer (Gustav Froelich), employed as a cabdriver, wants to leave the city but has no identification papers. When one of his passengers is murdered, Toni appropriates the dead man's papers and "becomes" one Jack Mortimer. Unfortunately, there are several shady characters around and about who want Jack Mortimer dead. The location-filmed finale finds Toni at the mercy of the real Mortimer's murderer. Four different production companies had a hand in the making of this minor melodrama. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Gustav Froehlich, Cornell Borchers, (more)
- 1936
Though the title translates literally as My Sweetheart is a Hunter, this German musical comedy was released in the U.S. as Love at Court. The story takes place during the reign of Austrian emperor Franz Josef I, here played by Earl Ehmann. The emperor embarks on a hunting expedition, with three young romantic couples in tow. Not much "big game" is bagged, but at least Franz Josef can take comfort in the fact that all three pairs of lovers are happily married by film's end. Billed at the bottom of the cast list is "guest star" Leo Slezak, the opera-star father of character actor Walter Slezak. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- George Alexander
- 1931
The 1929 all-talkie adaptation of Bayard Veiller's stage play The Trial of Mary Dugan proved a worthy showcase for MGM-diva Norma Shearer. But Shearer was not conversant in German, thus Nora Gregor inherited the leading role in the German-language version, Mordprozess Mary Dugan. The personnel may have changed, but the plot remains the same: Libertine showgirl Mary Dugan is put on trial for murder, accused of killing her wealthy lover. Through a series of elaborate flashbacks, the truth about the events leading up to the killing slowly comes to the surface. It is also revealed that Mary's numerous romances with rich benefactors were undertaken so that she could finance the law-school education of her brother Jimmy -- who happens to be the attorney handling her defense. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Nora Gregor, Egon Von Jordan, (more)
