Lucie Englisch Movies
- 1956
The wartime song hit Lili Marlene is woven into the plotline of this German romantic drama. The story concerns a German soldier named Franz (Adrian Hoven) and his lady love Christa (Marianne Hold). When first they met in a restaurant, the orchestra was playing Lili Marlene. Then and there, the two lovers promised to think of each other whenever they heard "their" song in the future. Alas, it appears at war's end that Christa has not upheld her end of the bargain -- in fact, she seems to have shifted her affections to another song, and another man. Somehow, a happy ending emerges from this emotional crisis. It should be noted that the Paul Verhoeven listed as director of Wie Einst Lili Marlene is not the 1990s action director of the same name. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adrian Hoven, Marianne Hold, (more)
- 1931
Blue-eyed heroine Lore (Grete Berndt) is "Das Rheinlandmaedel" ("The Rhine Maiden") in this frothy German operetta. A girl of modest means and background, Lore falls in love with Hans Waldorf (Werner Fuetterer), a wealthy college student. When Hans' father finds out, he tries to bribe Lore to drop the boy. She refuses, whereupon daddy is so impressed by Lore's sincerity that he gives his blessing to the marriage. That's about all there is to Das Rheinlandmaedel, except for lots and lots of singing, dancing, and quaffing of spirits. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Trude Berliner, Lucie Englisch, (more)
- 1936
Set in provincial Bavaria, Der Lachende Dritte (The Chuckling Third) concerns a valuable cache of liquid manure owned by elderly farmer Naz (Joseph Eichbein). Fully aware of how his odious possession is highly coveted by the local farmers, Naz refuses to move his compost pit when a fancy hotel is erected next to his property. The hotel owner spends most of the film cooking up schemes to remove Naz and his pungent pond without ruining the town's economy. The plot is resolved when the hotel becomes a sulphur-springs spa, all thanks to Naz's heap o' liquefied goat custards. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucie Englisch, Josef Eichheim, (more)
- 1932
The title translates as Unfaithful Eckehart, and indeed Dr. Eckart Bleitreu (Ralph A. Roberts) is cheating on his loving wife (Luize Englisch). To throw his wife off his scent, Bleitreu claims that it's his brother-in-law Fritz (Fritz Schulz) who is the philanderer. The doctor's deception backfires when, thanks to his presumed prowess with the ladies, Fritz ends up with a cushy government job and a huge salary. Befitting its subject manner, Ungetrue Eckehart has plenty of old-fashioned door-slamming and ducking in and out of boudoirs. Reportedly, the film was also produced in a French-language version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ralph Arthur Roberts, Lucie Englisch, (more)
- 1937
Per its title, the plotline of this film is motivated by a counterfeit $50 bill. The funny money is passed to shopgirl Christa (Lucie Englisch), who, fearful of being arrested, hides it in a baby's piggy bank at her home. In dire need of money, Christa's sister "robs" the bank and puts the bill into circulation. Eventually, the faux banknote falls into the hands of Frau Lehmann (Kathe Haack), the mother of a banker (Theo Lindgren); the banker just happens to be in love with Christa. The plot alone is enough to induce chuckles, but the producers of Ein Falscher Fuffzinger felt the need to truckle to the lowest common denominator by throwing in a whole bunch of gratuitous slapstick. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Theo Lingen, Kaethe Haack, (more)
- 1932
Brigette Helm stars as a disillusioned movie extra who makes a speedy exit from a Viennese movie studio while still wearing her elegant costume. She heads off to a resort in Monte Cristo, where she poses as a wealthy countess (she's certainly dressed for it!) Jewel thief Gustaf Gruendgens and swindler Rudolf Forster help Helm carry off her masquerade for larcenous reasons of their own, but Forster spoils everyone's plans by falling in love with the girl. Graefin von Monte Cristo served as the basis for the 1934 Universal comedy The Countess of Monte Cristo, with Fay Wray in the starring role. The property was remade in 1948 as a musical vehicle for skating-star Sonja Henie. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Brigitte Helm, Rudolf Forster, (more)
- 1957
Tomi Streiff directs this screwball road movie about a guy, a girl, and a cow. Country bumpkin Ela Thier (Isabella Parkinson) is a librarian journeying off for a new job in a remote German village. A trusting soul, she gets bilked out of all her money by a sleazy con man and is forced to hitchhike. She is lucky enough to be picked up by burly plumber Tim (Oliver Reinhard), who is driving his truck back to his black forest burg. He is set to get hitched in a couple of days -- his wedding gift, the titular bovine, is in the hauling bay -- and he is beginning to have second thoughts. With the appearance of Ela, Tim starts having third and fourth thoughts about his impending nuptials. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
This German performance tells the story of a man who decides to sell his estate and his horses after he has an accident. Available in German only. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1931
The German playwrighting team of Arnold and Bach were the collective Neil Simon of their time, turning out one successful stage comedy after another. Hurra! Ein Junge (Hurrah! A Boy!) is a typical Arnold-Bach melange of infidelity, mistaken identity, and punctured pomposity. The situations surrounding the birth of the heroine's child sparks a maelstrom of slapstick, coming to a hilarious head just a few moments before the final fadeout. Critics found the picture "grotesque"; audiences found it side-splittingly funny. The best performances were rendered by Ralph A. Roberts and Max Adelbert, two veterans of many a previous Arnold-Bach collaboration. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max Adalbert, Ida Wuest, (more)
- 1953
Ich und Du (I and You) is totally reliant upon the charms of its stars. Hardy Krueger (later Kruger) and Liselotte (later Lilo) Pulver star as young marrieds Peter and Brigette. After a silly spat, the couple divorces, each refusing to admit that he/she was wrong. The film is predicated upon the couple's realization that they could patch things up at any moment, but who feel obligated to go through the motions of "typical" divorced folks. Lucie Mannheim, a German actress best known to American viewers as the opening-reel murder victim in Hitchcock's 39 Steps, plays a family friend who tries to smooth out the domestic wrinkles in the story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Liselotte Pulver
- 1939
Italian filmmaker Carmine Gallone was still in his "operetta" mode when he helmed 1938's Il Sogno di Butterfly (Dream of the Butterfly) Maria Cebotari plays opera diva Rosa Belloni, currently starring in a production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The plot thickens when Rosa's backstage life begins to mirror the travails of the character she is portraying. The climax comes when Harry Peters (Fosco Giachetti), the American father of Rosa's illegitimate child, returns after four years with his new wife in tow, leading inexorably to a doleful ending both on- and offstage. Critics complained about the substandard photography in Il Sogno di Butterfly, but this might have been due to poor laboratory work. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Cebotari, Fosco Giachetti, (more)
- 1956
This German production tells the story of a man and his son that are after the same woman. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1932
No Ceremony With a Mayor is the English-language title of this provincial German farce. Siegfried Arno is typecast as Siegmund Meyer, the owner of a combination marriage bureau and divorce service. Hoping to impress his future father-in-law, Siegmund adopts the pose of a millionaire. Meanwhile, he nearly loses his sweetheart by inadvertently matching her up with his best friend. All of this sounds a lot like Bachelor Bait, a Stu Erwin comedy filmed in 1934 by RKO Radio. Chances are, however, that neither RKO nor director George Stevens were aware of the existence of Kein Feier Ohne Meier. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sig Arno, Ralph Arthur Roberts, (more)
- 1937
The merry monarch of the title is King Louis XV of France, here rechristened "Ludwig" and played by Alfred Neugebaur. For most of the film however, the king is shunted off to the background, while the spotlight is shifted to provincial coachman Chapelou (Willy Eichberger). Gaining fame as a singer, Chapelou is whisked off to Versailles, where he catches the eye of royal mistress Madame Pompadour (Thekla Ahrens), who tries to dispose of Chapelou's wife Madelaine (Rose Stradner) by confining her to her home. But Madelaine has her revenge when she shows up at the King's palace, posing as the Countess Latour. Yes, the King smiles, but not before La Pompadour is given plenty of reason to frown. This frothy costume escapade was originally released as Der Postillon von Lonjumeau. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alfred Neugebauer, Thekla Ahrens, (more)
- 1932
Mein Leopold was based on the long-running play by A. L'Arronge, originally written in the 1870s. Max Adelbert plays a wealthy old Berlin shoe manufacturer who sacrifices all for the sake of his son Leopold (Harald Paulsen). The boy repays his father's devotion by behaving like a thorough bounder, though he eventually redeems himself through the simple expedient of honest hard work. Meanwhile, a trio of subplots involving three young couples are adroitly woven into the central narrative. A delicate blend of comedy, sentimentality and pathos, Mein Leopold proved to be a box-office bonanza. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Max Adalbert, Gustav Froehlich, (more)
