Lil Dagover Movies
Actress Lil Dagover was born in Java to a Dutch family working in that country. She was educated in Baden-Baden and Weimar, Germany. While pursuing an acting career she married a much-older stage performer, Fritz Daghofer. The marriage was brief but it did give Lil her professional last name, which she respelled. Somewhat reminiscent of American film star Theda Bara in her dark-lined makeup and florid acting mannerisms, Dagover was ideal for the surrealistic ambience of her first important film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919), and soon other European actresses were adopting Lil's heavy-lidded, highly stylized technique. Ms. Dagover was a particular favorite of director Fritz Lang, who cast the actress in such exotic silent classics Die Spinnen [Spiders] (1919), Destiny (1921) and Dr. Mabuse der Spieler (1922). Lil made one American film, Warner Bros.' The Woman From Monte Carlo (1931) -- yet another attempt by Hollywood moguls to create a "new" Greta Garbo, even though Dagover preceded Garbo by nearly a decade. Returning to Germany, Dagover avoided overt political involvement during the Third Reich, concentrating on harmless costume musicals and comedies during World War II. Unlike many of her contemporaries, she managed to retain her stature in the post-war years. Lil Dagover's final appearance was a small part in the German-Italian co-production End of the Game (1976)--an appropriate title for the climax of nearly half a century's worth of film roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1936
Set during the Napoleonic era, Der Hoehre Befehl (Higher Command) nonetheless manages to accommodate huge heaping helpings of pro-Nazi propaganda. The story concerns the breakup of the alliance between France and Prussia, galvanized by the imprisonment of an English envoy. The prisoner is set free by a young German officer who despises Napoleon and realizes that the only hope for Prussia's future lies in independence -- and if that independence is won through a betrayal of trust, so be it. Box-office favorite Lil Dagover adds a touch of glamour as a slinky French spy. Director Gerard Lamprecht, one of Germany's most conventional and least adventuresome filmmakers, does his usual perfunctory job with Der Hoehre Befehl. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karl Ludwig Diehl, Lil Dagover, (more)
- 1936
Schlussakkord (released in the U.S. as Final Accord) is the melancholy tale of a young mother who leaves her child behind in Germany to join her no-good husband in America. Hubby eventually kills himself, rendering the heroine all alone in the world. Meanwhile, her son is adopted by a kindly orchestra conductor and grows up in an atmosphere of luxury and love. In the tradition of East Lynne, the conscience-stricken mother contrives to get a job as a governess in the orchestra leader's home, hoping to be nearer her son -- but never intending to reveal her true identity. The story takes a startling turn when the woman falls in love with the conductor, whereupon both are implicated in a nasty murder case. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Willy Birgel, (more)
- 1936
The titular "fugitive from Chicago" is Michael Nissen (Gustav Froelich), who arrives in Germany to take charge of an automobile-manufacturing plant. Nissen, however, is operating under false pretenses: he's posing as the genuine auto heir, who's been detained in the Windy City on a murder charge. Despite his utter lack of knowledge of the motorcar business, Nissen manages to carry the day with several moneymaking schemes, proving as worthy of his position as the man he's impersonating. Popular German leading lady Lil Dagover is surprisingly wasted in a minor role. Der Fluehctling Aus Chicago is pure escapism, with no reference whatever to the current Nazi regime in Germany (but with plenty of barbed comments about Chicago gangsterism!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gustav Froehlich, Hubert Von Meyerinck, (more)
- 1936
King August the Strong was how this German historical pageant was billed in English-speaking countries. Michael Bohnen, a popular opera singer of the period, stars as the famed Saxon king of the title. August spends the better part of the picture fighting with King Charles of Sweden (Gunther Handack) over the possession of Poland. Charles is ultimately defeated by the Russians, allowing August to stake his claim in Polish terror. In essence, August Der Starke seems to advocate the subjugation of another country for the glory of the Fatherland (ironically, Germany's 20th-century invasion of Poland would serve as the spark for WWII). Beyond its propagandistic content, the film boasts several lavish "bacchanal" scenes, an apparent specialty of noted actor-director Paul Wegener. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michael Bohnen, Lil Dagover, (more)
- 1936
In this drama, a poor mother gives her child up for adoption and travels to America with her spouse. The child is taken in by an orchestra conductor and his wife. When the lad's biological father kills himself, his real mother comes back and gets a job as his nurse. Meanwhile, the conductor's wife, feeling great remorse over her frequent affairs, takes her life. The nurse and the conductor are initially accused of murder, but they are acquitted. At the story's end, the marry. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
The Seven Years' War against Austria produced the many escapades of King Friedrich the Great as related in this epic drama. ~ All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Otto Gebuhr, Hilde Körber, (more)
- 1936
The popular stage drama Das Maedchen Irene (This Girl Irene) was adapted for the screen by director Reinhold Schuenzel. Sixteen-year-old Irene (Sabine Peters) is one of two daughters of widow Jennifer Lawrence (Lil Dagover). When Jennifer announces her plans to remarry, Irene is shocked and disappointed, determining to despise her stepfather before she even meets him. Her hatred becomes an obsession, and by the third act Irene has vowed to shoot and kill her mother's new husband! Though disaster is ultimately averted, things get mighty tense in the last few moments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Sabine Peters, (more)
- 1934
Ein Frau, Die Weiss, Was Sie Will (A Woman Knows What She Wants) is freely adapted from the Oscar Straus operetta of the same name. Lil Dagover stars as Manon Cavallini, a celebrated actress who spends most of the film's running time trying to stage a reunion with her daughter Karin (Maria Beling). She also hopes to "rescue" Karin from a life upon the wicked stage, and in this she's successful. Characters essential to the action include handsome wastrel Alex Basse, played by Adolf Wohlbrueck. Within a year or so, Wohlbrueck would inaugurate a brief Hollywood career under the new name of Anton Walbrook. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover
- 1932
In this WW II drama, the commander of the French cruiser Lafayette is sunk by a German U-boat. Following the rescue of the survivors, the commander undergoes an investigative hearing to determine his culpability in the sinking. He didn't know it at the time, but his philandering young wife was trysting with a handsome young officer and ended up stuck on the cruise. The woman survived the incident. To save her husband's career, she tearfully admits her adultery in court. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Walter Huston, (more)
- 1932
Otto Gebuehr stars as Prussian ruler Frederick the Great in this German historical drama. Lucky in war, Frederick is unlucky in love until he meets the alluring Italian dancing girl Barberina (Lil Dagover). Alas, his happiness is short-lived: Barberina is enamored of another, younger man. Rumanian-born director Fred Zelnik dashed off this epic just before setting up shop in England. Originally titled Barberina, Die Taenzerin von Sans Souci, the film gives evidence of having originally been much longer than its present 78 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Otto Gebuhr, Lil Dagover, (more)
- 1931
Outside of Emperor Franz Joseph, there was no member of the Hapsburg dynasty who showed up in films as often as Empress Elizabeth of Austria. Lil Dagover plays the celebrated empress in this film, which deftly combines fact and fiction into one lavish movie package. Though wed to Franz Joseph (Paul Otto) and expected to comport herself in a regal manner, Elizabeth is too much the free spirit to tie herself down to protocol. Escaping the stuffiness of the Austro-Hungarian royal court, she chooses to live a carefree existence among the people. Elizabeth returns to the palace a shade too late to save her unhappy son Crown Prince Rudolf from committing suicide out of love for the beautiful Countess Mary Vetsera (this subplot later served as the basis for the 1937 film Mayerling). Again fleeing her responsibilities Elizabeth wanders aimlessly around the world until her own life is ended by an assassin's bullet. Amazingly, Elisabeth von Oesterreich manages to pack all this into a brisk 74 minutes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Maria Solveig, (more)
- 1931
During the 1814 Congress in Vienna, the crowned heads of Europe gather together to decide the shape (and fate) of the continent (which would hold -- with some serious cracks -- for exactly 100 years) and devise a strategy for dealing with Napoleon. The ordinary Austrians chafe at the cost of hosting these dignitaries, while the dignitaries find some of the efforts at entertaining them well-intentioned but absurd; the Russian czar Alexander (Willy Fritsch), for instance, doesn't understand why anyone would think he came all the way to Vienna to watch a Russian ballet. Meanwhile, the Austrian prince chancellor Metternich (Conrad Veidt) hopes to keep the Czar away from the congressional table by diverting him with a bevy of beautiful women. But Alexander is one step ahead of Metternich; the Russian leader has engaged the services of an exact double, Oralski (also played by Fritsch), to fulfill his least important social obligations. Into this game of political deception comes glove-maker Christel Weinzinger (Lilian Harvey), whose efforts at greeting the dignitaries (and promoting her shop) leave her mistaken for an anarchist, until the Czar -- advised of her beauty -- intercedes on her behalf. She ends up being romanced by both the Russian ruler and his double, until Metternich's intrigues and Napoleon's distant machinations combine to bring the focus back to official events. Filmed in German, French, and English-language versions, Der Kongress Tanzt was a worldwide success, and one of Harvey's most popular films. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lilian Harvey, Willy Fritsch, (more)
- 1931
Based on the best-selling book by Egon Erwin Kisch, this Czechoslovakian production tells the true story of one of the most flagrant turncoats in European history. A officer on the pre-WWI Austrian military staff, Colonel Redl has no qualms about accepting bribes from and passing secrets to the hated Russians. Playing both sides of the fence, Redl also accepts gratuities from his fellow Austrians to get the goods on "undesirables" from within. His justification? As a member of the "lower orders," Redl feels that he could never have cracked the aristocratic upper circles of the European military without resorting to treachery. The real Redl's homosexuality is not an issue in this film, though it certainly would be in Istvan Szabo's 1985 production Colonel Redl (not a remake of the 1931 film, but instead adapted from John Osborne's A Patriot for Me). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Theodor Loos, Lil Dagover, (more)
- 1931
The "great yearning" of the title refers to the desire of heroine Camilla Horn to become a famous movie star. Fortunately, director Theodor Loos happens to be combing the countryside, searching for "something new" to put before the cameras. He discovers Horn, and the rest can be filled in by the audience blindfolded. The charm of this picture lies not in its corny plotline, but in its handling by young director Stefan Szekely, who refuses to sugar-coat his depiction of movie-studio life but instead offers something very close to the truth. Die Grosse Sehnsucht features cameo appearances by such German film faves as Lil Dagover, Liane Haid, Anny Ondra, Fritz Kortner, Franz Lederer, Luis Trenker, Conrad Veidt, and many, many more. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Camilla Horn, Theodor Loos, (more)
- 1930
Filmed silent, Hungarian Nights was released in the U.S. in mid-1930, giving at least a few days' work to the leftover movie-theater musicians. The story focuses on the menage a trois involving Captain Bartok (Hans Stuewe), Col. Reckoczi (Alexander Murski) and the colonel's wife Coraly (Lil Dagover). The plotline is occasionally broken up by drunken bacchanals and angry-peasant mob scenes. When distributed in America, the subtitles were printed in both English and German, giving them a "textbook" appearance which had the effect of taking the audience "out" of the picture. Cast in a small role is Viet Harlan, later one of the most prominent directors of the Nazi era. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wilhelm Diegelmann, Daisy D'Ora, (more)
- 1930
The great Russian actor Ivan Mozzhukhin co-stars with popular German leading lady Lil Dagover in this cinemadaptation of Leo Tolstoy's Hajji Murad. The title character, Hajji Murad (played by Mozzhukhin), is a hot-headed Caucasian mountaineer leader whose irrational behavior comes to the attention of the Czar (Fritz Alberti). Hoping to use Hajji Murad as a go-between in his plans to conquer the Caucasus mountaineers, the Russian ruler finds that the hero is not so easily manipulated. Rescuing the beautiful Saira (Betty Amann) from the Czar's clutches, Hajji Murad leads the mountain people's revolt against the despotic regent. Begun as a silent film, White Devil was released as a part-talkie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ivan Mozzhukhin, Lil Dagover, (more)
- 1929
Long before actress Dita Parlo was brought to Hollywood as "the new Garbo," she enjoyed a substantial film career in Europe. In Melodies des Herzens (Melody of the Heart), Parlo is cast as Julia Balog, a pretty peasant girl who lands a housemaid's job in the Big City. Swept off her feet by handsome soldier Janos Garas (Willy Fritsch), Julia secretly draws up plans to help him save up enough money to buy a horse -- the first step towards buying a farm. Fired by her employer for "wasting"her time with Janos, Julia gets a singing job at a seedy nightclub. Angered that his sweetheart is being ogled by the dirty old men in the nightclub audience, Janos walks out on her, agreeing to marry the girl picked out for him by his parents. Rather than explain that she was merely working in the nitery to help pay for Janos' horse, Julia tearfully buys the nag on her own, leaves it tethered outside her former boyfriend's house, and heads for the river, intending to end it all. Only the very last scene does the viewer find out if tragedy can be averted. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dita Parlo, Willy Fritsch, (more)
- 1929
Der Gunstling von Schonbrunn was the original title of this well-received German period picture. The story, a familiar one to European audiences, concerns the youthful romance between Austria's Queen Maria Theresa (Lil Dagover) and Hungarian aristocrat Trenck (Ivan Petrovitch). To avoid the terrible jealously of her husband the Kaiser, Maria Theresa arranges a marriage between Trenck and one of her ladies-in-waiting. It is clear, however, that the flames of passion have not entirely been dampened. A silent film, Favorite of Schonbrunn was released with a very brief dialogue sequence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Ivan Petrovich, (more)
- 1929
Originally Ungarische Rhapsodie, this opulent Erich Pommer production stars Lil Dagover, Dita Parlo, and Willy Fritsch. The latter is cast as Franz, a dissolute young Austrian Army officer who gets himself into an embarrassing situation with the worldly Camilia (Dagover), the wife of elderly Baron Barsody (Leopold Kramer). Franz is rescued from public disgrace by pretty Hungarian peasant girl Marika (Parlo), who puts her own reputation on the line in the process. Out of gratitude, he asks Marika to become his wife, which she does, thereby apparently "absolving" the hero of his previous peccadilloes. Julian Johnson wrote the English-language subtitles for this heaping helping of mittel-European schmaltz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Willy Fritsch, (more)
