Luli Deste Movies
Columbia Pictures' entry in the Garbo/Dietrich wannabe contest, Viennese Luli Deste (born Van Hohenberg) had appeared in a couple of European productions -- including the British My Friend the King (1931) -- prior to making her Hollywood debut in 1937. Unfortunately, Deste was wasted in potboilers at both Columbia and Universal, and ended her brief screen career playing Queen Fria in Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940) and a mysterious desert femme fatale in the 1941 Hopalong Cassidy "Eastern" Outlaws of the Desert. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, Rovi
- 1941
This thriller, set aboard a transatlantic ship heading for America during WW II, chronicles the endeavors of a cagey reporter looking for the notorious international criminal, the Black Parrot. The reporter begins his search after a major theft occurs during a bogus submarine alert. Before the intrepid journalist captures his quarry, the evil Parrot commits two murders, and presents many confusing false clues. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- William Lundigan, Maris Wrixon, (more)
- 1941
Ever on the lookout for original story ideas, the producers of the "Hopalong Cassidy" series came up with a lulu in Outlaws of the Desert. In this one, Hoppy (William Boyd) and his saddle pals Johnny (Brad King) and California (Andy Clyde), is assigned by the US government to head to Arabia, there to buy a herd of Arabian steeds. Once they've arrived in the desert, our heroes are kidnapped by swarthy Sheik Suleiman (played by future "Cisco Kid" Duncan Renaldo). In his efforts to figure a way out of his predicament, Hoppy must also attempt to rescue distressed damsels Susan Grant (Jean Phillips) and Marie Karitza (Luli Deste). Good escapist fun, Outlaws of the Desert is definitely the most unusual of the early-1940s "Hopalong Cassidy" entries (even though the film's "Arabia" is obviously located near Chatsworth, California). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Andy Clyde, Brad King, (more)
- 1940
This wartime drama is set in 1936 and begins at the Winter Olympics. It centers on the three medalists of a skiing competition. The gold was awarded to a Russian, the silver to a Finn, and the bronze to an American. During the awards ceremony, the three pals proudly announce that war is a thing of the past. The story jumps three years into the future. Now the Russo-Finnish War is raging on the mountainous Manerheim border. Most of the battles are fought on skis and all of the 1936 Finnish team is there to save their country. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Philip Dorn, Luli Deste, (more)
- 1940
Charles Bickford and James Craig are the rough-and-ready leads in Universal's South to Karanga. Running guns in South Africa, Bickford and Craig are hired to deliver ammunition to a mining community. The reason: the natives are restless (again!) Our heroes come through in smashing form, making the area safe for white supremacy. More than a little dated, South to Karanga is a hodgepodge of stock footage from earlier Universal epics. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- Charles Bickford, James Craig, (more)
- 1938
The plot of She Married an Artist is summed up by the title, as was often the case in such 1930s romantic comedies. European import Lulli Deste plays Toni, the wife of commercial artist Lee Thornwood (John Boles). Because Thornwood's portraits of comely model Sally Dennis (Frances Drake) are in such great demand, he is obliged to spend virtually all his time with Sally, which prompts Toni to seek retribution in divorce court. The timely intervention of housekeeper Martha Moriarty (Helen Westley) averts marital disaster for Toni and Lee. Supporting player Franklin Pangborn is at his most "nance-y" in this one, adding an extra layer of camp to the proceedings. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Starring:
- John Boles, Luli Deste, (more)
- 1937
In this satire of British-American relations, Edward G. Robinson stars as Dan Armstrong, a hard-sell American saleman whose company sends him to England to learn how to tone down his act. There he meets some distant relatives, the aristocrats Sir Peter and Lady Challoner (Arthur Wontner and Annie Esmond). They invite him to their mansion for the weekend, where among the house guests are the penniless aristocrats the Duke and Duchess of Glenavon (Nigel Bruce and Constance Collier) and their daughter Lady Patricia (Luli Deste), as well as a conniving stockbroker, Henry Graham Manningdale (Ralph Richardson). The Duke and Duchess own only an apparently worthless mine in Rhodesia that supposedly contains a metal called magnelite. Manningdale says that he will develop the mine in exchange for permission to marry Lady Patricia. Armstrong also has designs on Patricia, however, and he engineers a scheme to start a company and sell stock in the mine. ~ Michael Betzold, Rovi
- Starring:
- Edward G. Robinson, Luli Deste, (more)
Rating Systems
Blockbuster
BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C.
2013 Blockbuster L.L.C. All rights reserved.
Portions of Content Provided by Rovi Corporation. 2013 Rovi Corporation.