Maria Andergast Movies
Eva (Susi Nicolette) is a Viennese shopgirl who inherits "Paradise." More specifically, she falls heir to a resort hotel that has definitely seen better days. Despite the opposition of a rival female hotelier (who, of course, holds all the aces legally and financially), Eva vows to renovate her hotel and make it a winning proposition. This extends to hiring "bathing beauties" (who are neither good-looking nor swim) as waitresses and engaging the services of a seedy jazz band. In true comic-opera fashion, goodness prevails. Eva Erbt das Paradies bears faint echoes of all those hokey prewar Viennese musicals, with a soupcon of postwar realism. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rudolf Carl, Annie Rosar, (more)
Produced by the prolific Willi Forest, Hofrat Geiger (Counsellor Geiger) is based on a popular Viennese stage play. The story focuses on an elderly government functionary, played by Paul Horbiger. While routinely filing some yellowed documents, Horbiger learns of the existence of the daughter he never knew he had. The rest of the film details his anxious search for that daughter and the rekindling of the romance between Horbiger and a former lover. The film version of Hofrat Geiger proved immensely satisfactory to the fans of the original play. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Hoerbiger, Hans Moser, (more)
Little Melody from Vienna (Kleine Melodie aus Wien) focuses on the plight of war widow Maria Andergast. Having lost her home, the heroine is amenable to the suggestion that she rent two rooms in the home of professor Paul Hoerbiger. At first, the prof resents the intrusion of the widow into his well-ordered existence. Eventually, and right on cue, he weakens his resolve and falls in love with his pretty tenant. All of this is set to the lilting music of Robert Stolz, including such deathless compositions as "Three Brownies". ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Hoerbiger, Maria Andergast, (more)
Reportedly the first postwar Austrian production, Der Welte Weg (The Long Way) was filmed in the Soviet sector of occupied Vienna. The story concerns a group of POWs in the waning days of WWII. Despite the plight of these unfortunates, certain of the male and female prisoners manage to find romance. Most of the film deals with a triangle involving Rudolf Prack, Maria Anderson and Willi Danek. Having been conceived and filmed by pro-Soviets, Der Welte Weg is top-heavy with anti-German sentiments, which severely limited the film's salability in certain portions of Europe. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rudolf Prack, Hans Holt, (more)
Maria Andergast essays the title role in Manja Valewska. In essence, this is a retelling of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, with names changed to protect the producers. The one major departure from the Tolstoy original occurs at the end when, after suffering disgrace for her illicit extramarital romance, Manja is put on trial for the murder of her husband. It turns out that hubby actually committed suicide, permitting the heroine a happy ending (another digression from Tolstoy). Intended as Austria's "big" picture for 1936, Manja Valewska ended up as one of the year's biggest disappointments. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Peter Petersen, Maria Andergast, (more)
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)
Those Three About Christine is the English-language title of this compact little melodrama. Christine Biehler (Maria Andergast), a substitute teacher, is sent to an isolated village in the Black Forest. Amazingly, the petite young schoolmarm is able to keep her troublesome students in line, something none of her predecessors were able to do. Alas, she is far less successful in her own love life, unable to decide between her three most ardent suitors. When she finally does make a choice, it's the wrong one -- disastrously wrong. Die Drei Um Christine is very simple, very basic "audience" material, and quite well done. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Andergast, Hans Söhnker, (more)
"Mountain-film" specialist Luis Trenker plies his trade with his usual expertise in the Austrian Velorene Sohn (Prodigal Son). Trenker himself plays the leading role of Tonia Feuersinger, a Tyrolean mountaineer bound and determined to scale the American Rockies. He also wants to journey to the States to court pretty American tourist Lillian Williams (played by pretty American actress Marian Marsh). Leaving his broken-hearted local girlfriend (Maria Andergast) behind, Tonio treks to New York, but never quite makes it to the Rockies; instead, he gets a welding job on a skyscraper, then achieves success as a prizefighter. In the end, however, he realizes that his heart is still in the Tyrol and thus returns to the arms of his hometown sweetheart. Though aimed at the German-speaking clientele, Verlorene Sohn was financed in Hollywood by Universal Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Luis Trenker, Maria Andergast, (more)
Endstation offers the American viewer tantalizing glimpses of busy, bustling mid-1930s Vienna. Otherwise, this minor yarn of an amorous streetcar conductor is strictly formula material. The film benefits from the star power of Paul Horbiger, resplendently garbed in an elaborate conductor's uniform. Also worth noting is the performance of Maria Andergest as the woebegone hatmaker whose fate is inextricably linked with hero Horbiger. Incidentally though the direction is credited with one E. W. Emo, Paul Horbiger actually called most of the shots on Endstation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Andergast, Hans Moser, (more)







