Pierre Richard-Willm Movies

The title of this WWI drama translates as Under the Leather Helmet. Set in Rumania, the film focuses on a female secret agent who intends to use an airplane to fly behind enemy lines. While she awaits her flight to destiny, the girl spends several days with a French flying squadron. Her sexy presence causes the pilots to begin fighting among themselves, resulting in disaster for all concerned. A brief musical interlude features the American dancing duo Stone & Vernon, whose presence makes about as much sense as the rest of the film. Sour le Casque de Cuir is a variation on a theme that has been replayed many times in such films as Station Six Sahara and Once Before I Die. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Jacques Feyder's sole directorial contribution in 1934 (and his first film since 1931) was the superior Foreign Legion melodrama Le Grand Jeu (The Full Deck). Scripted by frequent Feyder collaborator Charles Spaak, the film focuses on Pierre Martel (Pierre Richard-Willm), whose efforts to support his beloved Florence (Marie Bell) in the style to which she's accustomed cause him to run afoul of the Law. Escaping a charge of embezzlement, Pierre signs up with the Foreign Legion, intending to "forget." After a particularly violent skirmish with the natives, Pierre briefly loses his memory, whereupon he begins keeping time with Irma, a sexy camp-follower whom he imagines to be Florence. When his tour of duty is over, Pierre prepares to return home to Paris to collect an unexpected inheritance. Reunited with the real Florence, he finds he cannot get over Irma, the little trollop who gave him a new lease on life back in the desert. Unwilling to go back to France without Irma, Pierre returns to the Foreign Legion -- where, inevitably, he meets his doom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As the title indicates, the central "character" in this German drama is a Stradivarius violin. Somehow or other, the instrument continually brings bad luck to its owner, Hungarian military officer Teleky (Pierre Richard Wilm). Hoping to make a living as a musician after WWI, Teleky is forced to give up this dream when he is wounded on the battlefield. Adding insult to injury, his doctor (Jean Galland) falls in love with Teleky's sweetheart! Apparently figuring that our hero needs at least one break, the doctor gallantly steps aside, allow Teleky and his girl to enjoy a happy ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this French drama, a daring young woman falls in love with a strange inventor. She is quite the adventuress and has five handsome young pilots teach her to fly. They are contemptuous of the mousy inventor until the impetuous lass takes off by herself in a plane to set a record and ends up lost in a terrible storm. To save her, all of the rivals team up and begin their desperate search. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Le Prince Jean is based on a play by Charles Mere, which in turn was reportedly inspired by a true story. Pierre Richard-Willm stars as wastrelly Prince Jean d'Axel, who drops out of public view to join the French Foreign Legion. Upon his return to his native country five years later, the Prince discovers his throne has been stolen by pretenders. This not only puts a crimp in his leadership abilities, but also threatens to squelch his romance with the beautiful Claire d'Arlong (Natalie Paley). Summoning the intestinal fortitude which he'd gleaned during his years with the Legion, Prince Jean regains his throne and his lady fair. Le Prince Jean was distributed worldwide by Hollywood-based 20th Century-Fox. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this episodic French drama, a widow uncovers a 20-year-old dance card from a ball. Just for fun, she decides to find all of her former partners. Her search becomes the framework for the episodes. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide

Originally Tarakanowa, Feodor Ozep's Princess Tarakanova resurfaced under a variety of titles following its 1937 European release, including Orloff and Tarakanova and Betrayal. Annie Vernay plays the title character, an ambitious young woman of dubious heritage who aspires to the throne of 18th-century Russian monarch Catherine the Great. Princess Tarakanova is able to muster an army of fervent supporters, and for a while its seems that Catherine will be toppled from her throne. But the princess foregoes power in favor of romance when she falls in love with the dashing Count Orloff (Pierre Richard Wilm). Essentially a romantic drama, Princess Tarakanova ignores the tragic fate of the real-life princess in favor of a storybook ending. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide