Akos Rathonyi Movies
In this lively horror film, a number of young women have mysteriously vanished and now Inspector Doren is assigned to find them. He goes to the village where the seven murdered maidens lived and ends up assisted by the town witch who leads him to a strange laboratory located in the deepest dungeons of an abandoned castle, where they find the blood-chilling solution to the mystery: the slain women have been rendered undead by their ruthless bloodsucking master, a psychotic professor. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1964
In this German comedy-melodrama, the exploits of a plucky WW II orphan as he moves from foster family to foster family are chronicled. He is first taken in by a Yankee pilot who subsequently dies during the Korean War. As a teen, he is then adopted by a German family and soon falls for his step-sister. He really wants to join the US Air Force, so he steals a uniform and fakes the appropriate documentation to get in. With the help of an understanding sergeant, the ploy works, but just as he is about to be sent Stateside, the truth is exposed and he is booted out. Later the sergeant offers to adopt him, but the youth decides to stay in Germany with his love. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
Director Akos von Rathony, perhaps best known for his 1960 Mrs. Warren's Profession, guides a talented cast of American and German actors in this entertaining comedy that pokes fun at cultural morés on both sides of the Atlantic. Helmut (Michael Hinz) is an orphan with plenty of Yank friends, enough to make him desperate to get to the U.S. To that end, he nabs an Air Force uniform and the proper credentials and then makes a brave attempt to hop on an American military jet. In the meantime, Inge (Christine Kaufmann) has her own ideas about Helmut's future and they do not include any trip that takes him away from her. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christine Kaufmann, Michael Hinz, (more)
- 1961
In this detective film, a Chinese detective breaks up a drug smuggling ring and tries to find the "Daffodil Killer." The drug smugglers had devised the ingenious method of smuggling heroin from Hong Kong in the stems of daffodils. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Lee, Marius Goring, (more)
- 1959
An unexceptional drama of the exceptional George Bernard Shaw's story of a conflict of morals, Frau Warren's Gewerbe stars Lilli Palmer in the role of Mrs. Kitty Warren and Johanna Matz as her daughter Vivie. The mathematically talented and well-educated Vivie owes her accomplishments to her absentee mother who has paid all the bills in her upbringing. When they meet at last in a country home, Vivie is shocked to discover that her mother not only gained her lucre through prostitution but is still a partner with Sir George Crofts (O.E. Hasse) in the management of several brothels around Europe. That shock is soon followed by another when Vivie finds out the truth about the parentage of her boyfriend Frank. This is all heavy going for the turn of the 20th century when certain topics were still taboo. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- 1954
Veronica Hurst is the star of the 1954 British frivolity Don't Blame the Stork. Hurst plays an actress who will do anything for publicity. When an infant is abandoned on the doorstep of celebrated actor Ian Hunter, Hurst steps forth to claim that the baby is hers. Ever so many embarrassing complications ensue before the obligatory "all is forgiven" final clinch. Don't Blame the Stork was adapted from an earlier German comedy film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1938
Magdat Kicsapjak (Magda is Expelled) was director Ladislao Vajda's next-to-last Hungarian film; only Friday Rose remained to be filmed before he moved on to Italy, Spain, England and, ultimately, Germany. Ida Turay plays Magda, a 16-year-old Budapest schoolgirl with a predilection for trouble. The fun begins when Magda mails a "mash note" written as part of a language exercise by the school's English teacher (Clara Tolney). The letter ends up in the hands of Liverpool industrialist Harvey (Antal Pager), who out of curiosity pays a visit to the school. Love blooms between Harvey and the teacher, but Magda is expelled for her insubordination all the same. Never fear, however: our heroine also lands a handsome husband at fade-out time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ida Turay, Piri Peery, (more)
- 1938
13 Kislany Mosolyog az Egre (13 Girls Smile at the Sky) was adapted from a novel by Otto Indig. Billed as an "optimistic film" (a commodity much in demand in the troubled Europe of the late 1930s), the story concerns 13 pretty high-school graduates who go into the world vowing to perform at least one good deed per week. The 13th girl is Piry (Ida Turay), who comes to the aid of an impoverished pushcart peddler, establishing him in his own prosperous ice-cream business. What Piry doesn't know is that the seedy peddler is actually a millionaire -- and since he's suffering from amnesia, he doesn't know either! When he recovers his memory, our hero decides not to reveal his true identity for fear of losing Piry's love. The rest of the film practically writes itself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ida Turay, Mici Erdelyi, (more)
- 1938
Hot on the heels of his "optimistic comedy" 13 Girls Smile at the Sky, Hungarian director Athos Rathonyi turned out another happy-smiley entertainment, A Holgy Kisse Bogaras. The title translates as The Lady is a Bit Cracked -- and indeed, insanity is regarded as a rich vein of humor in this farce. Desperately seeking a job, young Klari Tomay "borrows" another girl's sealed letter of introduction. What she doesn't know is that the letter states that its bearer is a trifle crazy, but perfectly harmless as long as she's not offended. Thus it is that Tomay is at a loss to understand why her new employers treat her so deferentially, and with a look of panic in their eyes. Things get really hairy when Tomay is led to believe that the firm's junior partner Imre Raday is also a few cards shy of a full deck! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Klari Tolnay, Imre Raday, (more)
- 1938
The rather cumbersome title of this Hungarian romantic comedy translates simply as I've Defended a Woman. Antal Pager plays lifelong bachelor Peter Bory, who's slated to marry a woman he cares nothing about. It all begins when he impulsively protects Maca (Maria Lazar), whom he's never met before, from the brutish behavior of her husband. By and bye, Maca files for divorce, whereupon her husband sues Peter for alienation of affections. Pressure from family and friends forces Peter to propose marriage to Maca, with the understanding that they'll divorce soon afterward. Ah, but neither hero nor heroine are prepared for the subsequent barrage of Cupid's arrows. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Lazar, Antal Pager, (more)
- 1937
Fizessen Nagysad (Pay Up, Madam!) was originally advertised as "the first Hungarian musical farce." This seems odd, in that most Hungarian films of the 1930s were musicals, and many of these were farcical in nature. Whatever the case, the story concerns a wealthy mill owner who can't keep his factory managers away from his attractive daughter. Finally he hires a young man who promises that he'll never, ever, succumb to the daughter's charms. Guest how long that lasts! Paul Javor, sometimes billed as the Hungarian Clark Gable, plays the hero, while the equally popular Lily Murati is the heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lili Murati, Paul Javor, (more)
