C.H. Diller Movies
- 1938
In this German comedy set in the American West, an ace detective heads West to destroy a ring of Mexican hashish smugglers. He also has time to romance a pretty girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1938
Ratsel um Beate (Beate's Mystery) was adapted from a play by Alfred Moller and Hanz Lorenz, which originally starred Dorothy Wieck. The film version features Lil Dagover in the leading role of Beate Kaiserling, an impressionable young woman who gets involved in a village scandal. Despite her protestations of innocence, poor Beate cannot stem the steady stream of misinformation from her gossiping neighbors. Critics in 1938, liked the film, noting that it was a distinct departure from the usual bombastic German drama of the period. The film was Lil Dagover's first effort since being appointed State Actress of Germany in 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lil Dagover, Albrecht Schoenhals, (more)
- 1937
The delightful Johann Strauss comic opera Die Fledermaus was mercilessly lampooned in this truly bizarre production. For starters, a framing device has been added: After appearing in 300 consecutive appearances of Fledermaus (which translates as The Bat) the lead tenor (Georg Alexander) imagines that he's seeing bats everywhere. Driven a bit over the edge by all this, he falls asleep and has a nightmare about the opera, with a group of non-singers cast in the leading roles. The original libretto about romantic assignations, political imprisonments and mistaken identity is burlesqued to the hilt: at one point, the hero finds out that his prison cell is surrounded by rubber tubes! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lida Baarova, Hans Söhnker, (more)
- 1936
Du bist Mein Gluck (You Are My Joy) was the third starring feature for the great Operatic tenor Beniamino Gigli. Gigli's imposing presence and splendid singing notwithstanding, the film is dominated by Isa Miranda in a dual role. After deserting her husband to shack up with Mario Monti (Gigli), Bianca Scarpa (Miranda) returns home years later to beg for custody of her child, only to be throw out into the street. Years later, the child has grown up into a beautiful young woman and an excellent dancer (Miranda plays both mother and daughter). Feeling guilty about causing so much family dissension, Monti tries to arrange for a reconciliation between Bianca and her daughter. The musical highlights in Du bist Mein Gluck feature such operatic luminaries as Hildegarde Ranczak, Maria Cornelius, and Ludwig Weber. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Beniamino Gigli, Isa Miranda, (more)
