O.W. Fischer Movies

Set in Kentucky during the slavery days of the Old South, this adaptation of the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe tells of the workings of the underground railroad, a secretive system formed by whites and blacks which allowed slaves to escape into the northern states. This drama, directed in Yugoslavia by Hungarian Geza Radvanyi, tends to stray from the original story and contains many contradictions to historical fact. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a couple seeks outside help to resolve their marital conflicts. Tired of her husband's neglect, the wife seeks solace with a yoga instructor. As a result, her husband tries to seduce a lovely writer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This routine, slow-paced biographical drama is based on the 1929 autobiography of Swedish doctor Axel Martin Fredrik, The Story of San Michele. The drama follows the physician, psychiatrist, and adventurer as he travels the distances from Lapland to his Villa San Michele on Capri, with special stops in Paris and Rome. Personal physician to Queen Victoria, also physician to the Swedish royal family (he spent his last years living in the Royal Palace in Sweden), "Axel Munthe" knew everyone from the poorest clients to the most well-endowed. His love of animals, his support of bird sanctuaries, his involvement with architecture as he constructs his impressive villa over a period of five summers, and his interests in archaeology and hypnotism are all explored. O.W. Fischer's portrayal of the doctor is sometimes criticized as having more Fischer than Munthe in it. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Setting aside the politics of Nazism and its followers, this tongue-in-cheek parody of post-war conditions stars popular actor O.W. Fischer as Philipp Kalder, a former prisoner of war who has now wholeheartedly gone into black-market operations. Quick to see where a fortune can be made, his underhanded dealings ironically bring him legit recognition from the city that profited by his shenanigans. While busy with building his bank account, Kalder meets Hilde von Hessenlohe (Marianne Koch) also in the black-market sweepstakes, and plans on using her for his own purposes. Then the unexpected happens, he falls in love with her. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This Oscar-nominated satire is an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's comedy Arms and the Man. Commenting sharply upon the pitfalls of nationalism and war, it follows the exploits of a frightened, AWOL soldier who ends up hiding beneath a pretty Bulgarian woman's bed.While her gung-ho fiancé is out fighting the Serbs, the soldier and the woman engage in a witty dialogue about the absurdity of war. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

An uneven, bland tale of escape and capture on the River Rhine, Whirlpool features Juliette Greco as Lora, the girlfriend of a petty criminal. She wants to leave him but does not make the desperate effort leaving requires, until after he shoots a policeman. Then she escapes him by boarding a German tanker. Her obvious charms captivate the captain (O.W. Fischer), his First Mate, and another deck hand, but after her last experience she shuns all of them. Trouble brews as one of the wives on board is overcome with jealousy, and worse yet, as Lora's old boyfriend, now on the run from the police, decides to join her on the tanker. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Klaus Kinski stars in this World War II tale of a well-known clairvoyant who is forced, not altogether unwillingly, to collaborate with the Nazis. This film was remade with the same name in 1988, with Klaus Maria Brandauer in the title role. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide

Showing no signs of slowing down in his 70th year, Sacha Guitry served as director and writer of the lavish historical epic Napoleon, and also costarred as Talleyrand. It is now hard to assess the quality of the film, since most American prints are severely edited, and the color photography appallingly washed out. Reviewers in 1955 admired the effort that went into this $1,800,000 production, but complained that the viewer left the film with no deeper understanding of Napoleon Bonaparte than the viewer had had when coming in. Daniel Gelin poses impressively as the young Bonaparte, registering emotion only when things go wrong in his conquest of Europe, while Raymond Pellegrin is somewhat better as the older, more jaded Napoleon (the transition between the two actors is handled in a near-comic fashion). The Revolution is reduced to a few fleeting scenes, while the rest of the film is devoted to political infighting and betrayal. The huge supporting cast includes Michele Morgan as Josephine and Lana Marconi and Dany Robin, respectively, as Napoleon's mistresses Waleska and Desiree. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this German-language romantic drama, Elisabeth (Maria Schell) tries to make it to her husband's (O.W. Fischer) performance of Beethoven pieces, but arrives late, only to walk in on the solo violinist, Michael (Philip Dorn). She immediately falls in love, and Michael returns the feeling when he later meets Elisabeth face-to-face. Soon, Elisabeth must make a tough decision in a love triangle in which she is the only aware party. ~ All Movie Guide