Carl Froehlich Movies
Carl Froehlich was a key figure in the development of German newsreels. Beginning his career in 1902, Froehlich was one of the first filmmakers in Germany. A prolific director, he founded his own production company in 1920 and began producing as well. During the time of Nazi dominion, Froehlich received a decoration from Goebbels for the films he made. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1938
In this Swedish drama, four graduates of an industrial design school team up and form a small business. The protagonist is so excited by the venture that she turns down the proposal of her dashing instructor. Time passes and her three partners lose interest in the business for different reasons. This leaves the heroine who has a change of heart and decides to forgo the business and marry the instructor after all. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Wenn Wir Alle Engel Waeren (Were We All Angels) is a satirical fable about morality -- or the lack of it. In town on business, prudish family man Christian (Heinz Ruhmann) decides to attend a nightclub, strictly for the purposes of finding out how "wicked" life can be. Drinking a bit too much champagne, Christian convinces himself that, so long as he gets home on time, he's done nothing wrong. Alas, on his way to the railroad station he is distracted by a pretty streetwalker, and ends up spending the night with her. As luck would have it, Christian arrives home a few moments before his wife Hedwig (Leni Marenbach), who'd missed her train after taking her music lesson. In high dudgeon, Christian chastises his spouse for her tardiness, accusing her of "playing around." No doubt about it: someone is about to be hoist on his own petard -- but good! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heinz Rühmann, Leny Marenbach, (more)
- 1936
This German film was originally released as Frauen um den Sonnenking, but was retitled to capitalize on the success of the British Private Life of Henry VIII. In keeping with the current German party line in the mid-1930s, French King Louis XIV (Michael Bohnen) is depicted in the most villainous terms possible. According to this film, the misbegotten monarch was responsible for all the woes in 20th-century Europe. Louis is at his most despotic when dealing with the Germans, who are characterized as the next best thing to saints. Thank heaven that his bride Liselotte (Renato Mueller), Princess of Palatinate, realizes what a louse she's married to. Loyal to the edicts of propaganda minister Goebbels, The Private Life of Louis XIV is thinly disguised Nazi propaganda -- and there were far less-subtle films to come. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1936
Professor Niemeyer (Emil Jannings) is known to his students as "Traumulus," or "The Dreamer," in referring to his easygoing nature. Hoping to cushion his charges from the harsh realities of life, Niemeyer allows them to run roughshod over him, refusing to impose any sort of discipline in his classroom. But when his best student commits suicide after getting mixed up in a local scandal, Niemeyer realizes that he's done a disservice to his boys by letting them get away with murder. Without sacrificing his essential decency or humanity, Niemeyer vows to be a stricter taskmaster from this day forward. Keeping his tendency to overact in check, Emil Jannings delivers one of his best and subtlest performances in this film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emil Jannings, Hilde Weissner, (more)
- 1935
The popular German stage play Krach um Jolanthe was brought to the screen by producer-director Carl Froelich in 1935. Jolanthe is the name of a prize sow, the pride of a tiny rural community. Trouble begins when the sheriff comes calling, demanding to collect an exorbitant tax on the blue-ribbon oinker. When the owner can't pay up, the sheriff holds an auction to sell the sow to the highest bidder. The loyal townsfolk boycott the event, then plot a "jailbreak" when the sow is placed in custody of the local constabulary. Subtlety is hardly the strong suit of Krach um Jolanthe; the audience is invited to park its dignity at the door and laugh out loud unashamedly. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marianne Hoppe
- 1933
Reifende Jugend was a variation on the 1933 film hit Maedchen in Uniform, minus the homosexual subtext (after all, Hitler was now in power!) The basic storyline concentrates on the boarding-school training of clean-limned, Aryan youth, all for the greater good of the Fatherland. Heroine Elfriede (Hertha Thiele) has a crush on professor Kerner (Peter Voss), while blond, blue-eyed Nehring (Albert Florath) is hopelessly enamored of Elfriede. This is but one of a surfeit of subplots which have the overall effect of weighing down the film. The subliminal pro-Nazi message of Reifend Jugend is more obvious in retrospect than it was in 1936. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heinrich George, Peter Voss, (more)
- 1932
The title of this heavily plotted German melodrama translates as This One or None. Gitta Alpar stars as Eve, whose emotions are torn between two European princes, lifelong rivals who happen to be brothers. Eve prefers the nicer of the two princes, but this doesn't stop the other from aggressively stepping up his courtship. When the less agreeable of the two monarches takes control of the throne, he orders Eve to make an immediate choice between himself and his brother. Though old-fashioned in concept and execution, Die Oder Keine benefitted from the charming presence of Gitta Alper. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gitta Alpar, Max Hansen, (more)
- 1932
Gitta Alper is appropriately cast as Gitta, the singing sweetheart of composer Fred (Paul Kemp). Thanks to Gitta's considerable vocal talents, Fred's songs become world-famous, though with fame comes many a heartbreak and setback. With the help of an understanding impresario (Leonard Steckel), Gitta and Fred are reunited in the final footage. Gitta Entdeckt ihr Herz (Gitta Discovers Her Heart) was assembled for the express purpose of transforming Hungarian stage favorite Gitta Alper into a saleable movie star. The fact that it was an excellent film in its own right was as much a factor in its success as its charming leading lady. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gitta Alpar, Paul Kemp, (more)
- 1931
Set in 1806, this is the story of Prussia's best-loved queen, as played by Henny Porten, one of Germany's best-loved actresses. The tragic fate of Queen Luise -- and, by extension, of her homeland -- is sealed by the weaklings and prevaricators all around her. Gustaf Gundgrens gives a masterful performance as the vacillating, ineffectual King Friedrich Wilhelm III. American reviewers paid homage to the film's excellent production values but felt that it was doomed to failure outside Germany because of its melancholy subject matter. The film was based on Luise, a novel by Walter Von Molo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henny Porten, Gustaf Gründgens, (more)
- 1931
Inspired by Christa Winsloe's play Gestern und Heute, Maedchen in Uniform is one of the most memorable and moving of the pre-Hitler German talkies. Hertha Thiele plays a new student in an exclusive girls' boarding school. Achingly lonely because she feels deserted by her family, Hertha keeps her distance from the rest of the girls. Persecuted for her solitary stance by principal Emilia Unda, Hertha is drawn to her sympathetic teacher Dorothea Wieck. What starts as a friendship blossoms into a romance. While public revelation of this relationship proves disastrous to both student and teacher, it is ultimately the unforgiving principal Unda who suffers most. Maedchen in Uniform was antiseptically remade in 1958, with some of the frankness but little of the honest eroticism of the original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emilia Unda, Dorothea Wieck, (more)
- 1930
While attending an operatic performance, wealthy Otto van Lingen (Gustav Gruendgens) is smitten by beautiful chorus singer Floriane Bach (Alexa Engstroem). Van Lingen sends his secretary Richard Faber (played by director Carl Froelich) to arrange a romantic rendezvous between Van Lingen and Floriane, which leads to the girl's being cast in the female lead of Jacques Levy Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman. But instead of falling in love with her patron, Floriane goes ga-ga over Faber. Van Lingen is incensed, but all is forgiven when he and Floriane are rescued by Faber from an opera-house fire (hence the film's title, which translates as "Fire in the Opera"). Featured in the cast of Brand in Der Oper are several world-renowned opera luminaries, including the great Czech singer Jarmilla Novotna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gustav Fröhlich, Gustaf Gründgens, (more)
- 1928
Liebfraumilch was co-produced by its star, popular German actress Henny Porten, and its director, Gustav Froelich. As suggested by its title, the film is set amidst one of those Rhine wine festivals so beloved of German filmmakers. Returning to comedy after several negligible dramatic roles, leading lady Porten is truly in her element as a peasant lass who finds love and laughter at harvest time. He co-star was Willi Fristch, likewise very much at home in light comedy roles. Had Liebfraumilch been made a year or two later, it would most likely have been converted into an operetta. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1928
Best known for her comedy roles, Henny Porten went dramatic big-time in her 1928 vehicle Zufflucht (Refuge). Since Porten also produced the film, she bore the brunt of the criticism, which was far from kind. Many felt that the actress would have been better off sticking to comedy, while others were of the opinion that she was too old for her role (she was all of 40 at the time). The most positive comments were reserved for Porten's incredibly good-looking leading man, Francis Lederer. In fact, Zufflucht represented Lederer's screen debut, a full year before his "official" cinematic bow in Pabst's Pandora's Box. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
