Paul Westermeier Movies

In this remake of the 1932 musical, the lead actor plays a dual role of a Czar and his look-a-like as they do business deals and make love in Vienna, circa 1814. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Devil's General (Des Teufels General) stars Curt Jurgens as a courageous Luftwaffe officer. Jurgens loves the service, even though he barely tolerates the Hitler regime. Sickened by wartime Nazi atrocities, Jurgens renounces his government, and is imprisoned and tortured as a result. Once released, the general takes pity on a downtrodden Jewish family. This isolated act of kindness is a point in his favor when Jurgens stands before Satan himself for his final judgment. The Devil's General was based on an immensely successful postwar play by German author Carl Zuckmeyer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Two of Charlie Chaplin's talented offspring -- Charles Jr. and Sidney -- make a rare joint appearance in the German comedy Columbus Entdeckt Kraehwinkel (Columbus Discovers Kraehwinkel). The Chaplin boys play a couple of American ex-GIs who return to the tiny Teutonic village of Kraehwinkel after the war, there to be reunited with their fraulein sweethearts. They also intend to bring Kraehwinkel into the 20th century by "Americanizing" the place, despite fierce opposition from the tradition-bound locals. Their scheme works so well that one of the boys loses his girlfriend to the town's new pro-USA burgomeister. A film that has apparently long since disappeared, Columbus Entdeckt Kraehwinkel might prove an interesting rediscovery for Chaplin buffs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Der Grüne Kaiser (The Green Emperor) was based on the novel of the same name by Paul Mundorf. Gustav Diesel stars as Miller Mylius, a prominent banker who concocts a clever scheme to rid himself of his romantic rival Kasten (Rene Deligen). Disappearing completely from view, Mylius is assumed to be dead, and it is further assumed that he has been murdered by Kasten, who is arrested and sent to prison. After many years, Mylius is happily married to his sweetheart Joana (Carola Hoehn), who assumes that his return from the dead was a miracle rather than a carefully-laid scheme. Mylius' chickens come home to roost when Kasten is released and exacts a most satisfying revenge. Like the Mundorf novel, Der Grüne Kaiser was inspired by the recent mysterious death of the Belgian financier Lowenstein. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Der Katzensteig (The Catwalk) is based on a novel by Herman (Sunrise) Sudermann. The story is set during the Napoleonic wars, when all of Prussia succumbed to the armies of the Little Corporal. Werner (Hannes Stelzer), the hero, must endure ostracization because of his father's pro-French sentiments. The only person who cares about Werner is Regine (Brigitte Horney), herself under a cloud for purported collaboration and promiscuity. Werner clears his family's name by fighting heroically against Napoleon, but still must pay a terrible personal price when he returns home. Der Katzensteig is a remake of the same-named 1927 silent film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Die Sporkc'schen Jaeger (The Sporck Batallion) is where Lt. von Naugaard (Fritz Genschow) calls his home during WWI. A courageous soldier, the lieutenant unfortunately suffers from a mental aberration which compels him to poach on game preserves. Lt. von Naugaard's reckless slaughter of the local deer population casts shame upon his fellow soldiers, but with the help of the poor man's superior officer, all is set right. To non-German eyes, the central conflict in Die Sporkc'schen Jaeger may seem like much ado about nothing. Of far more interest is the romance between von Naugaard and the apple-cheeked heroine (Reva Holsey). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set in 1900 Berlin, Die Goettliche Jette (The Divine Jette) stars Grethe Welser as the title character. A singer in a ragtag touring theatrical troupe, Jette attracts the attentions of wealthy Count Opalia (Kurt Meisel), who has several influential show-business friends. Feigning love for the Count, Jette manages to wangle an audition, and before long she is Berlin's most popular musical-comedy artiste, more famous for her dazzling legs than her singing skills. Unfortunately, she runs afoul of a group of blue-nosed "reformers," and is banned from ever performing again. Disconsolately, Jette agrees to marry Opalla and live the life of a countess. But when the Berlin theatergoers demand her return to the stage, Jette is brought back in triumph, obliging the Count to nobly step aside so that the heroine can enjoy a lasting romance with her true love Fritz (Viktor de Kowa). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Before he became the principal cinematic spokesperson for the Nazi Party, director Veit Harlan was capable of turning out such frothy comedies as Der Muede Theodor (Weary Theodor). The title character, played by Weiss Ferdl, is a retired hotel proprietor who meager savings are commandeered by his henpecking wife. Befriending actress Gretl Theimer, our hero takes a secret night job as a hotel waiter to finance Theimer's upcoming musical show. Inevitably, Theodor's wife shows up at the hotel where her husband is moonlighting, whereupon sturm und drang reigns supreme. The biggest laughs are reserved for the end, when Theodor must double as both guest and waiter at a fancy dinner party. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paul Kemp plays the ironically named title character in the German comedy Der Mutige Seefahrer (The Brave Seaman). The joke, of course, is that Berthold Jebe (Paul Kemp) is anything but brave, especially on the ocean. Thus, he refuses to board a luxury liner in order to collect a huge inheritance in America, losing not only his legacy but also whatever money he happens to have at present. Somehow, Jebe emerges from these setbacks as a happier man and even wins the girl (Grete Englisch). Most of the comedy is conveyed in pantomime, enabling Der Mutige Seefahrer to rake in bucks in non-German communities. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Was Bin Ich Ohne Dich? (What Am I Without You?) was typical of the escapist musical comedies churned out in Germany during the Third Reich. The hero, Erwin Schwartz (Wolfgang Liebeneier) is a young composer. His pal Franz (Rudolf Platte) is an aspiring writer. Erwin's wife Pauli (Billie Bird) wants to be movie star, but he disapproves. Despite this, a big-time director goes ga-ga over Pauli and puts her in pictures, where she becomes an overnight sensation. Pauli's instant stardom has a chain-reaction effect on Erwin and Franz, both of whom finally attain show-biz success themselves. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide