Alexander Engel Movies
- 1969
- R
Cult director Jesus Franco revived the sexy female detectives of the Red Lips Agency (first seen in 1960's Labios Rojos) for this entertainingly bizarre comedic thriller. Diana (Janine Reynaud) and Regina (Rossana Yanni) investigate the disappearances of several models and nightclub performers, leading them to mysterious artist Klaus Thiller (Adrian Hoven). Thiller's sadomasochistic paintings, which lovingly depict the torture and murder of women resembling those missing, make the girls suspicious. When Diana meets Thiller in a nightclub, she must go undercover as one of his models to solve the crime, risking her life in his chamber of horrors. Fernando Garcia Morcillo's wonderful jazz soundtrack, sardonic dark humor, and a cast including Michel Lemoine, Marta Reves, Ana Casares, and Marcelo Arroita Jauregui make this twisted adventure worthwhile and fun. Spanish director Julio Perez Tabernero appears, and Franco makes an amusing cameo as a bumbling security guard. Prints run 92 and 88 minutes. The Red Lips girls returned in Besame, Monstruo. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this frilly-costumed comedy, Baron Halbach (Martin Held) and his daughter Dodo (Senta Berger) move freely among the wealthy social elite, stealing jewels. When Dodo falls for the handsome London lawyer Robert (Joachim Fuchsberger), the Baron tries to stop the budding romance. Later, Dodo is caught trying to pull off one last caper before she marries, but Robert successfully wins her case in court. Watch for James Robertson Justice as Robert's father Sir Hammond in this lavish production. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Senta Berger, Martin Held, (more)
- 1963
This quirky crime thriller stars Hansjörg Felmy as an intrepid Scotland Yard inspector tackling two seemingly disparate cases. He is officially assigned to investigate an underground society of vigilantes who take the law into their own hands, trying criminals in their own "Star Chamber"-style kangaroo court. On his own initiative, he is also pursuing a serial sex-killer who decapitates his victims. Felmy's dogged devotion to this case turns out to be personal, since his sister was among the killer's victims. The vendetta eclipses all other concerns, as the inspector even uses his own fiancee (Maria Perschy) as bait to trap the madman -- who suddenly falls into the clutches of the hooded vigilantes and is whisked away for a speedy trial. No prizes will be issued to viewers who guess the identity of the judge. This German production was also released as The Mad Executioners. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- 1961
In this mystery, a young countess almost loses her life. Investigators soon discover that the attempt is linked to a murder that occurred 20-years ago. The plot is based on an Edgar Wallace story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1961
The first of the "Dr. Mabuse" films not directed by Fritz Lang, the French/German/Italian Return of Dr. Mabuse stars Wolfgang Preiss in the title role. Supposedly dead and buried, Mabuse returns to his criminal activities, once more using hypnotized flunkeys to carry out his dirty work. While the doc's longtime foe Inspector Lohmann (Gert Froebe) probes and prods in his usual methodical fashion, hotshot American detective Lex Barker and dauntless girl reporter Daliah Lavi take the more direct approach to weed out Mabuse. This time around, the diabolical doctor wants to sabotage a nuclear reactor, then take over the world (he never does anything by halves). Return of Dr. Mabuse was released in Europe as Im Stahlnetz des Dr. Mabuse, Le Retour Du Docteur Mabuse and FBI Contro Dr. Mabuse; in some American cities, it was shipped out as Phantom Fiend. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1960
This entry at the 1962 San Francisco Film Festival came from a 1960 German television production. Produced by American Edward Dmytryk, Hamlet was redubbed in English when the director convinced Maximillian Schell the results would insure a wider audience for the film. Both English and German versions were shown in succession at the Festival. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maximilian Schell, Hans Caninberg, (more)
- 1958
Douglas Sirk directed this doomed World War II love story, seen from the German side of the war, as filtered through a distinctly late-'50s Hollywood banality. The film is based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque, the author of the classic World War I anti-war novel All Quiet On the Western Front -- and who makes a cameo appearance in the film as an elderly schoolteacher. The film stars John Gavin as Ernst Graber, a young Nazi soldier home on leave during the height of World War II. While on leave, he falls in love and marries Elizabeth Kruze (Lilo Pulver). With bombs falling all around the young couple, they set up house with a kindly old woman. Then Elizabeth becomes pregnant. But before Ernst can grasp the reality of his becoming a father, he is sent back to the war -- to fight the brutal battle along the Russian front. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gavin, Liselotte Pulver, (more)
- 1952
The Merry Wives of Windsor contains one of those complicated, tangled love plots that are typical of Shakespeare's comedies. In this one, lovely Anne Page is the object of affection of three suitors -- Caius, whom her mother favors; Slender, whom her father favors; and Fenton, whom Anne favors. Mr. Page and Mrs. Page plot to have their favored suitor win their daughter's hand, but in the midst of all this comes merry Falstaff. Needing money (as usual), Falstaff hits upon the idea of writing love letters to Mrs. Page and Mrs. Ford, thinking that they are both in love with him and will be willing to give him some financial support. The ladies decide to teach the rogue a lesson and arrange a meeting with him. Their husband surreptitiously learn of Falstaff's letters; Mr. Page trusts his wife, but Mr. Ford is suspicious. A series of complications ensue during which Mr. Ford disguises himself to spy upon Falstaff and his wife, and during which the wives put Falstaff in a number of embarrassing situations. At the end, the wives "agree" to meet Falstaff underneath an oak tree one night, and arrange for some fairies to be there to scare him. One of these fairies is to be Anne. Mr. and Mrs. Page plot with Slender and Caius for each to elope with Anne, but they are tricked when she ends up with Fenton. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sonja Ziemann, Camilla Spira, (more)
- 1938
Die Gelbe Flagge (The Yellow Flag) was based on a novel by Fred Andreas, which gained a huge audience when it was serialized in German newspapers in 1937. The immensely popular Hans Albers stars as devil-may-care aviator Peter Diercksen. When a deadly plague breaks out, Diercksen risks his neck on a near-hourly basis to fly in much-needed medicine and supplies. Somehow he pauses long enough to get mixed up with a hostile cannibal tribe -- and even more frightening, a bevy of desirable females. Dorothea Wieck, another top German screen attraction, is cast as a dedicated nurse. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hans Albers, Dorothea Wieck, (more)
- 1938
In this German comedy set in the American West, an ace detective heads West to destroy a ring of Mexican hashish smugglers. He also has time to romance a pretty girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1936
In this drama, a poor mother gives her child up for adoption and travels to America with her spouse. The child is taken in by an orchestra conductor and his wife. When the lad's biological father kills himself, his real mother comes back and gets a job as his nurse. Meanwhile, the conductor's wife, feeling great remorse over her frequent affairs, takes her life. The nurse and the conductor are initially accused of murder, but they are acquitted. At the story's end, the marry. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1935
In this romantic comedy, an aged wine maker ignores his sons' disapproval and marries a much younger woman. The angered sons then do all they can to destroy the relationship. They nearly succeed when they inform her that her hubby, whom she thought was 45, is really 62 years old. Angered by his lie, she leaves. Fortunately, the husband's granddaughter gets involved and persuades her to return. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Seymour Hicks, Claire Luce, (more)
- 1932
Hasenklein was based on a stage play by Hans Mahner-Mons. Arriving in the big city to visit his daughter, provincial dressmaker Jacob Tiedke finds himself attending a political meeting. Through a series of hilarious misunderstandings, our hero is elected a member of Parliament then is promoted to the Presidency. Tiedke wants nothing to do with all this, but the more he tries to disqualify himself, the more his followers are convinced that he's a legislative genius. After using his political clout to smooth the romantic path for his daughter and her sweetheart, Tiedke blissfully returns to the small-town dress shop whence he came. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacob Tiedtke, Lien Deyers, (more)
- 1931
Though silent-screen favorite William Haines wasn't able to sustain his popularity into the talkie era, he insisted upon honoring his MGM contract in such forgettable fare as Just a Gigolo. Based on a weather-beaten David Belasco play, the film casts Haines as Lord Robert Brummell, a footloose bachelor who is ordered by his wealthy uncle (C. Aubrey Smith) to settle down with a wife. Not wishing to tie himself down to any one girl, Brummell endeavors to prove that no woman is worthy of him by pretending to be a gigolo. Sure enough, every woman he meets turns out to be mercenary or amoral -- every one except the true light of his life, played by Irene Purcell (who, unbeknownst to our hero, knows he's not a gigolo). Just a Gigolo was released in England under the prudish title The Dancing Partner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- William Haines, Irene Purcell, (more)
