Ursula Grabley Movies

Love starved women flock to the male brothel known as the "yellow house." Run by a retired military man, the General keeps strict rules for the studs in his corral. No unwanted pregnancies, and absolutely no falling in love with the female clientele. On of the young men of the brothel falls for a pretty young woman outside the yellow house. Comedy ensues when the woman turns out to be the daughter of the rigid General. Faced with a moral dilemma, he considers selling the house when the young man's intentions turn out to be honorable. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This fictional story tells of a South American dancer and her daughter who wants to marry a man from Hamburg. Mom decided to intervene and gets mixed up with drug smugglers. This is in German only. ~ All Movie Guide

Unter den Bruecken (Under the Bridge) was German filmmaker Helmut Kautner's final film under the aegis of the Third Reich. Heavily influenced by such prewar French directors as Vigo and Carne, the film is set amongst the barge workers of the River Havel. Refreshingly free of political propaganda, the story concentrates on a romance between a bargee (Carl Raddatz) and a waterfront lass (Hannelore Schrott). Unter den Bruecken was given its premiere in Stockholm in late 1946, then totally disappeared from view. Rediscovered some 30 years later, the film was hailed by critics as a sensitive depiction of old-world sentimentality at odds with the harshness of modern reality. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Peter Im Schnee (Peter in the Snow) top-bills Traudl Stark in the title role. Despite her character name, Stark was certifiably female, and for a brief period she was considered Germany's answer to Shirley Temple. This entry in Stark's "Peter" series finds the little girl helping to patch up the broken marriage of her Aunt Doris (Liane Hald). Peter's efforts are nearly thwarted by Doris' divorce lawyer, who covets his share of a huge settlement. The plot is resolved in a tiny Alpine cabin, with all the adult characters darting in and out in the manner of a frantic French farce. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Annette (Ursula Grabley) finds herself an overnight millionairess when she inherits a thriving factory town. Rather than assume ownership by right of blood, Annette elects to learn the factory's business from the ground up, thus she takes a job as typist for chairman-of-the-board Bertuch (Max Guelstorff). The remainder of the story is a romantic tug of war as Annette is courted by both Bertuch and humble employee Siebert (Hans Soenker). The musical numbers seem to have been put together on an assembly line and accordingly are performed in the most perfunctory manner possible. Not one of the better German tunefests of the 1930s, Annette Im Paradies still managed to turn a neat profit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Heisses Blut (Hot Blood) is a vehicle for musical-comedy favorite Marika Roekk, who always did better with the public than she did with critics. Set in Hungary, the story centers on a once-wealthy family, now on their uppers. Heroine Marika von Koeroessy (Roekk) is willing to give up almost everything she has to keep her loved ones out of debtor's prison. But Marika draws the line at selling her beloved horse Satan, and it is this refusal that motivates the rest of the plot. Most of the songs in Heisses Blut are traditional Gypsy tunes, of a sort that would soon be banned by the racist Hitler regime. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Zum Goldnen Anker (The Golden Anchor) was the German-language version of the Marcel Pagnol masterpiece Marius. Jakob Tiedtke steps into the central role of Marseilles tavernkeeper Cesare, the character immortalized in the French-language version by the great Raimu. Cesare's irresponsible son Marius (Karl Ettinger) seduces the lovely Fanny (Lucie Hoeflich), who hopes that this indiscretion will lead to marriage. Alas, Marius begins to show signs of restlessness, whereupon Fanny magnanimously offers to give him his freedom, even though there's a baby on the way. Despite Cesare's insistence that Marius make an honest woman of Fanny, the girl makes certain that Marius will be able to follow his heart and set off to sea. Albert Bassermann co-stars as wealthy middle-ager Panisse, who it is inferred will become Fanny's husband once Marius is out of the picture. While the original Marius was followed by a brace of sequels, Zum Goldnen Anker was not. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Filmed in France, the German-language Das Konzert was based on the play of the same name by Hermann Bahr. The farcical plotline concerns a series of marital misunderstandings, all tied in with the arrival of a famous concertmaster. Olga Tschechowa, usually cast as a femme fatale, gives a sympathetic and understanding performance as a long-suffering wife. Oscar Karlweis also scores as a husband who nearly loses his spouse, only to win her back at the very last moment. According to reviewers in 1931, the subtleties in the original play were sacrificed in favor of bed-slat slapstick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide