Hans Junkermann Movies
Filmed simultaneously with the English version, this German-language film is considered by many to be technically superior. Greta Garbo, who was discovered by Louis B. Mayer in Berlin, spoke German well and her performance was highly praised. As the old lush Marthy, actress-writer Salka Steuermann (later Viertel) was perhaps not as striking as Marie Dressler, but her performance was highly praised. Veteran German star Hans Junkermann, in his only Hollywood film, took over from George F. Marion as Chris Christofferson, Anna's sailor father, and Theo Shall replaced Charles Bickford as the virile Matt Burke. The latter became famous in his native Germany as "the man who kissed Garbo." Completing the small cast, Herman Bing appeared unbilled as Larry, the bartender who serves Garbo her "viskey." The star herself often admitted to favoring this film over the English-language version and felt a great kinship with Belgian director Jacques Feyder. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greta Garbo
- 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)
- 1929
The producers of the German costume drama Beautiful Blue Danube insisted that the film was "based" on the Strauss waltz of the same name. Since the waltz lasts only 10 minutes or so, one assumes that the screenwriters took a great deal of literary license. Lya Mara stars as Mizzy, a pert cabaret dancer who uses the Strauss composition in her act. While waltzing her heart out for the crowd, Mizzy catches the eye of a handsome young Archduke (Hans Junkerman). The rest of the film follows the standard "duty before love" pattern established by such operettas as The Student Prince, the difference being that love conquers all in this case. Comedy relief was provided by Ernesto Verebes, a popular film farceur of the 1920s and 1930s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans Junkermann, Julius Falkenstein, (more)
- 1936
Anny Ondra is the whole show in the musical comedy Der Junge Graf (The Young Count). Ondra plays Billy, the daughter of circus owner Preissnitz (Hans Junkerman). To keep production costs low, our heroine performs as a blonde female aerialist, then dons a black wig and poses as a male acrobat. Her dual identity results in a series of complications reminiscent of (but not copying) Viktor und Viktoria. When Der Junge Graf was distributed in the U.S., it was sold on the basis of Anny Ondra's marriage to heavyweight boxing champ Max Schmeling. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anny Ondra, Hans Söhnker, (more)
- 1931
The plot of this German slapstick comedy can be summed up by its English-language title, The Stork Strikes. The humor is predicated on pregnancy, both imagined and actual, both planned and unexpected. The characters run around in helter-skelter fashion for nearly an hour and a half, but all problems are straightened out by fadeout time. Siegfried Arno, a splendid comic actor who later became a much-in-demand Hollywood bit player, heads the cast. Der Storch Streikt cost only about $70,000, but raked in nearly twenty times that amount at the box office. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ursula Grabley, Sig Arno, (more)
- 1935
Die Csardasfurstin (Czardas Princess) was adapted from the Emmerich Kalmann operetta of the same name. Marta Eggerth essays the title role, a regal-looking lass named Sylva Varescu. Not technically a princess, Sylva is a music-hall singer whose beauty attracts the attention of handsome prince Weylersheim (Hans Soehnker) and playboy Count Boni Kansianu (Paul Kemp). Weylersheim is anxious to wed Sylva, but he is already engaged to a young countess (Ida Wuest). This last-named character provides a handy plot solution when she falls for the Count, leaving Weylersheim free to marry our heroine. Because of the Third Reich's "racial purity" policy, the Jewish Emmerich Kalman was unmentioned in the UFA press release for Die Csardasfurstin. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marta Eggerth, Hans Söhnker, (more)
- 1937
By accident or design, two pre-Hitler efforts from German filmmaker Carl Boese were distributed to the U.S. during the same week of 1937, roughly five years after both were completed. The first was The Gentleman from Maxims; the second was Die Klein Schiwindlerin -- or, as it was known in the U.S., The Little Schemer. Pixieish Dolly Haas plays the title character, a flirtatious cutie named Annette. Our heroine causes all sorts of mischief for handsome young man-about-town Bob (Harald Paulsen), ultimately winning his love. She also saves him from the machinations of a group of con artists. Though Dolly Haas was unable to sustain her acting career in Hollywood, she remained in close contact with the Performing Arts through her long and lasting marriage to caricature artist Al Hirschfield. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dolly Haas, Harald Paulsen, (more)
Dr. Mabuse: The Gambler is the eight-reel version of Fritz Lang's twenty reeler, two-part silent thriller, Dr. Mabuse. Mabuse (Rudolph Klein-Rogge) a sinister mesmerist/psychiatrist, toys with the weaknesses of the rich and influential. He worms his way into the confidence of wealthy men, plays cards with them, hypnotizes them into cheating at their businesses, then puts them in a position to be blackmailed so that he can corner the stock market. A devilishly ingenious plan-but Mabuse is up against the plodding, methodical police detective Wrenk, whose subconscious is not so easily swayed...at least, not at first. In 1932, Lang directed a talkie sequel to Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, The Testament of Dr. Mabuse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rudolf Klein-Rogge, Aud Egede Nissen, (more)
- 1936
Based on the stage favorite Lilac Time, Drei Maederl um Schubert re-creates incidents in the life of composer Franz Schubert (Paul Hoerbiger). The story concerns his romantic entanglements with three sisters: Hederl (Greti Theimer), Heiderl (Maria Andergast), Hannerl (Else Elster). All three girls have a profound effect on Schubert's work, though none of them is able to land him as a husband. The music has been adapted from Schubert's best-known compositions, with emphasis on his Unfinished Symphony. The direction of Drei Maederl um Schubert was evenly divided by E. W. Emo (from UFA studios) and Hans Sassman (from the original stage production). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Hoerbiger, Gustav Waldau, (more)
- 1936
Axel Nielsen's stage play Kontuschowska was the basis for the German comedy Ein Hoczeitstraum (A Wedding Dream). Ida List plays heroine Vera, who is railroaded by her title-chasing mother into a marriage with "Prince Narishkin" (Heinz Salfner). Turns out, however, that the Prince is a phony; the real monarch (Ferdinand Marian) has gone incognito, taking a job as a chauffeur to escape his responsibilities. While honeymooning with the false prince, Vera falls in love with the real Narishkin, never suspecting that she's actually married to the Prince's valet! Things can only get more complicated from here on in, and they do. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ida Wuest, Ferdinand Marian, (more)
- 1932
Ein Prinz Verliebt Sich (A Prince Falls in Love) stars Georg Alexander as the title character, a merry young monarch named Prince Michael. Ordered to marry homely little Maria (Lien Deyers), the Prince takes a run-out powder to the continent, where he dallies with a Parisian number named Fifi (Trude Berliner). Taking matters in her own hands, Maria dolls herself up until she's a ravishing beauty. Naturally, Michael falls for her -- but now she's not so sure that she wants him! The songs in Ein Prinz Verliebt Sich were just as derivative and unoriginal as the storyline. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Alexander, Lien Deyers, (more)
- 1930
Er Oder Ich (He or I) is the choice given to heroine Valery Boothby. The flirtatious lass must decide with whom she'll travel life's road: Harry Piel, or Piel's rival Hans Junkermann. Not wishing to make up her mind too quickly, she dallies with both men, only to very nearly lose the affections of both. Most of this takes place in the Italian port city of Genoa, with the exception of the wild bicycle-race finale. Fairbanksian leading man Harry Piel also directed Er Oder Ich, though he generously bestowed the best close-ups and camera angles upon heroine Boothby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans Junkermann, Eduard von Winterstein, (more)
- 1932
Brigette Helm stars as a disillusioned movie extra who makes a speedy exit from a Viennese movie studio while still wearing her elegant costume. She heads off to a resort in Monte Cristo, where she poses as a wealthy countess (she's certainly dressed for it!) Jewel thief Gustaf Gruendgens and swindler Rudolf Forster help Helm carry off her masquerade for larcenous reasons of their own, but Forster spoils everyone's plans by falling in love with the girl. Graefin von Monte Cristo served as the basis for the 1934 Universal comedy The Countess of Monte Cristo, with Fay Wray in the starring role. The property was remade in 1948 as a musical vehicle for skating-star Sonja Henie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Helm, Rudolf Forster, (more)
- 1921
Denmark's leading silent-screen actress Asta Nielsen had the audacity to play the title role in Hamlet, produced by her in Germany and co-directed by Svend Gade. Nielsen actually succeeded in turning the Bard's perhaps finest play into a star vehicle for herself. Mistakenly believing her husband to have died, a scheming Gertrude raises her daughter as a boy and heir-apparent. Nielsen's Hamlet is not only Horatio's best friend in this version, but she falls in love with him as well, thus becoming Ophelia's rival. The scenes between Hamlet and Horatio (and to a lesser degree between Hamlet and Fortinbras) are quite intense in what, for all the world, appear as homosexual trysts. Nielsen did not base her prince(ss) of Denmark entirely on Shakespeare, obviously, but also on a then much-talked-about novel by one Professor E. Vining. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1929
Upon the death of a mittel-European prime minister, baroness Olga Tschechowa, the minister's mistress, is unceremoniously booted from the royal palace. In retaliation, the baroness claims she has in her possession a copy of the late prime minister's memoirs, the publication of which will bring about the ruination of all her political enemies. Pretty soon, the hypocritical courtiers and politicians who'd expelled her from the palace are fawning all over the baroness, hoping to be spared her wrath. Grand duke Willy Fritsch suspects that the allegedly scandalous memoirs do not actually exist, but he cares not: by film's end, he's fallen madly in love with the crafty baroness. Some above-average cinematography distinguishes this hectic boudoir farce. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max Hansen
- 1931
In this German comedy, an enterprising American uncle comes from Chicago goes to the tiny town of Groditzkirchen to make a fortune on credit even though he only has $10 to his name. To do so, he enlists the aide of a bank clerk and begins posing as a millionaire. The bank clerk is aware that it's all a sham and may fail dismally, but he is an adventurous soul and decides the risk is worth it if he can acquire a fortune for his girlfriend and himself. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
"Ist Mein Mann Nicht Fabelhaft?" ("Isn't My Husband Wonderful?") coos adoring wife Lu Brandt (Lien Deyers). Lu's hubby Victor (Georg Alexander) may indeed be wonderful, but rich he's not. A lowly employee in a record-player factory, Victor discovers that his wife has told their neighbors that he's actually the company's supervisor. Rather than embarrass Lu, Victor tries to live up to his reputation -- and nearly goes broke in the process. But the worst is still to come when Victor's neighbors, each of them laboring under the misapprehension that they're musically talented, descend upon the Victrola factory en masse demanding auditions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Georg Alexander, Lien Deyers, (more)
- 1931
Liebe auf Befehl is the German-language version of the American film The Boudoir Diplomat, with Johannes Riemann (who also co-directed) replacing the original film's star Ian Keith. The story concerns the carnal escapades of Baron Valmi, who literally sleeps his way to the top of the social ladder. After wooing, winning and abandoning several influential ladies, the Baron has convinced himself that he can never truly fall in love. It is then that he meets the beautiful Helene. Liebe auf Befehl translates as Command to Love, which was the title of the play upon which the film was based. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johannes Riemann, Arnold Korff, (more)
