Betty Bird Movies
- 1935
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
- Starring:
- Wolfgang Liebeneiner, Betty Bird, (more)
- 1932
The full title of this German musical was Ich Will Nicht Wissen Wer Du Bist, which translates as I Care Not What You Are. Gustav Froelich stars as Bobby, an impoverished baron who takes a job as a chauffeur. Alice (Liane Haid), the niece of Bobby's employer, falls in love with the handsome car jockey, but Uncle will have none of it; he insists that Alice marry someone on her same social level. Amused by the situation, Bobby doesn't reveal his true identity until he is certain that Alice loves him for himself and not his lineage. Originally running 95 minutes, Ich Will Nicht Wissen was cut by a full reel before its American premiere. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liane Haid, Gustav Fröhlich, (more)
- 1932
Those gifted farceurs Arnold and Bach are back again in Die Spanische Fliege. Comic actor Fritz Schulz stars as a provincial German gentleman who carries on a double life. The fun begins when various people from those two lives intersect by accident, forcing Schulz to wear himself into a frazzle pretending to be everyone but himself. Of the supporting cast, the charming Betty Bird stands out with her usual mixture of coquettishness and comic timing. Also showing up is Ralph Arthur Roberts, who practically made a career out of appearing in Arnold and Bach plays and films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fritz Schulz, Betty Bird, (more)
- 1932
Otto Preminger made his film directorial debut with the Austro-German Die Grose Liebe (The Great Love) Returning from WWI, young Franz (Attila Horbiger) has no relatives and thus really has nowhere to go. He wanders aimlessly around Europe for a decade, finally settling down in Vienna. During his first night in the Big City, Franz rescues a girl from drowning, an event captured by a quick-thinking newspaper photographer. When the picture shows up in the local papers, an elderly woman (Hansi Niese) becomes convinced that Franz is her long-lost son. Rather than hurt her feelings, Franz pretends to be the old woman's offspring, leading to a happy ending when our hero falls in love with a pretty young lass of his "mother's" acquaintance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hansi Niese, Attila Hoerbiger, (more)
- 1931
Forced to work nights, a young Austrian bureaucrat is unable to escort his lovely wife to a masquerade ball. Unbeknownst to our hero, his wife and her maid slip off to the ball on their own. Wifey makes the acquaintance of her husband's best friend who, unaware of her identity, is quite smitten by her and invites himself to her home. She manages to get rid of her lovesick swain by removing her mask and gown and disguising the maid as herself. Never revealing her true identity, the maid enjoys a passionate evening in her escort's apartment. The next day, the husband, who hasn't a clue as to what has transpired the night before, invites his friend home to "meet the missus." The friend is naturally terrified at the prospect that the wife will reveal their romantic rendezvous of the night before, little realizing that he'd actually spent the entire evening with the maid. How this situation eventually straightens itself out is far better seen than described. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ivan Petrovich, Liane Haid, (more)
- 1931
The legendary European clown Grock plays himself in this lachrymose German biopic. Celebrated by countless admirers as the funniest man in the world, Grock was in real life one of God's most miserable creatures -- at least, that's what it says here. The plot follows along these Pagliacci lines for well over 90 minutes, evenly balancing laughter and tears throughout. Not surprisingly, the film's highlights are its re-creations of Grock's more famous stage routines, in which he is assisted by his longtime partner Max von Emblen. Reportedly, $150,000 was expended on this production -- not so lofty a sum by Hollywood standards, but a veritable fortune in Germany. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liane Haid, Betty Bird, (more)
- 1930
This German comedy borrows freely from virtually every "college" picture made on both sides of the Big Pond. Campus life is nothing but an elongated party, with male and female students flirting, drinking, and singing, then drinking some more (the more things change...) Rich American girl Betty Bird shows up at Heidelberg college, whereupon students Willy Forst and Hans Brausewetter literally fall over themselves trying to impress her. But Bird is not so easily impressed; whoever asks for her hand will have to prove his worth academically as well as amorously. The most amusing moment occurs at the beginning of the film, when upon hearing a tour guide relate the entire plotline of the picture, a man jumps up and shouts "That isn't possible nowadays!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ernst Stahl-Nachbaur, Betty Bird, (more)
