Theo Lingen Movies

This German comedy is a starring vehicle for beloved entertainer Peter Alexander. Here he plays a school teacher who has a chance to be given his dream house, if only he will arrange for the daughter of a wealthy businessman to pass her exams. However, just now it is the summer holiday, and he'd rather dream about his house than receive payola for dishonest deeds. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

This comedy finds a group of students playing a practical joke on the school director (Theo Lingen). His twin brother Taft went to Africa and struck it rich, and the two have not seen each other for 40 years. The students send him a letter stating his brother has passed away and he will inherit the fortune if he can adhere to certain conditions. They include taking care of a monkey, spending three weeks in jail, and letting the students pass the rest of their tests. Comedy ensues as he tries to meet the conditions of the bogus will as the students take advantage of the gullible educator. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

This situation comedy finds a television reporter posing as a teacher in order to get a story on the younger generation. He falls for the pretty sister of one of his students, the daughter of a wealthy and influential pillar of the community who happens to hate teachers. The report deals with the fallout from daddy dearest and stuffy administrators in this continuation of the film, directed by Werner Jacobs, that often pokes fun at the educational system. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

A group of children play a game on their island home of Ruegen in the Baltic Sea. They revise an ancient heathen ritual one cold March day by standing in the frigid water. The one who lasts the longest in the icy cold will be referred to as the king of Kummerow. They befriend a poor shepherd who is something of a social outcast, and the group makes fun of a pompous preacher and the mean, miserly miller who tries to drive their shepherd friend out of town. The children rejoice when their nemesis the miller is hauled off to jail to pay for his past crimes in this engaging, heartwarming story. West German producer Walter Koppel used an East German crew, taking advantage of a recently developed color process called Orwocolor. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

This drama is taken from Thomas Mann's 1903 semi-autobiographical novel. Tonio (Jean Claude Brialy) is an aspiring writer and the son of a rigid aristocratic father and a music-loving mother. Wandering throughout Germany and Italy to "find himself," Tonio frequently remembers his childhood experiences in a series of flashbacks. The highlight of the film is the expert lensing by cinematographer Wolf Wirth. Erika Mann, the daughter of the late poet and author, collaborated with Ennio Flaiano on the screenplay. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

An uneven comedy that opens well and then slows down, Der Teufel Hat Gut Lachen features three tramps, Barbarossa (Max Haufler), Clown (Ruedi Walter), and Duerst (Zarli Garigist). The hoboes are leading a fairly carefree life considering their extreme poverty, but when the Devil appears to tempt them with a stash of cash they forget their present happiness and snatch it up. The new-found fortune leads them first into one adventure and then another, and all the while their bankroll is inexorably unrolling. It looks like the trio are heading right back to their starting line. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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

This saucy Austrian comedy-drama is based on the venerable stage play by Gustav Kadelburg. Helga Martin stars as Hedwig, the rebellious adoptive daughter of the Schimek clan. Hedwig rises to fame in fin-de-siecle Vienna by becoming a cabaret star, gaining notoreity by revealing more of her lovely legs than was acceptable at the time. Her outraged stepfather inaugurates legal action to end Hedwige's stage career, with lively results. Enhancing the charm of Famile Schimek is its utilization of vintage drinking songs and ballads as background music. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi