Jessie Vihrog Movies
- 1937
Die Herren von Maxim ("The Gentleman From Maxim's") was filmed in late 1932, but didn't land a New York release until 1937. Even by early-talkie standards, this in a stilted, old-fashioned musical, with forgettable songs and lugubrious direction. The story of a servant who poses as a wealthy playboy had been done so often that audiences could anticipate the dialogue, right down to the punctuation. Likewise predictable is the fact that the hero will land the heroine by film's end, despite her apparent indifference to him. The film is redeemed somewhat by the comic performance of Leo Slezak, the father of Walter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1936
It doesn't take a thorough knowledge of German to determine that Strassemusik translates as Street Music. This is the story of three shabby street musicians, who are given food and shelter by stage-struck young Grete Witt (Jessie Vihrog). She falls in love with Hans (Fritz Genschow), the handsomest of the musicians, ultimately bearing his child. Hans turns out to be a two-timing snake, but his partner Paul (Hans Deppe, who also directed), comes to Grete's rescue. The film concludes as the chastened Hans joins his partners for a star-making radio broadcast. Strassemusik is based on a play by Paul Schurek. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jessie Vihrog, Ernst Legal, (more)
- 1936
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
- Starring:
- Ursula Grabley, Hans Söhnker, (more)
- 1936
Also known as Song of Friendship, this German operetta serves as a showcase for such splendid singing talents as Charles Kullman and Leo Slezak. The story concentrates on two stonemasons (Kullman and Fritz Kampers), longtime friends who engage in a friendly rivalry over the heroine (Jessie Vihrog). Despite all manner of provocations, the friendship remains durable throughout the film. Finally, one of the two masons does the "nobility" bit by heading off to sea so that his buddy can marry the girl. La Paloma allegedly takes place in Spain, but there's more strudel and schnaps than fiestas or flamencos in this production. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Kullmann, Jessie Vihrog, (more)
- 1936
The full title of this jingoistic German drama translates as German Destiny on Russian Soil. Set several centuries in the past, the film dwells upon the hardships faced by German families who migrated to Czarist Russia. In typical propagandistic fashion, the Russians are, to a man, brutish and sadistic; there isn't a human being in the bunch. In contrast, the Germans are delineated as noble underdogs, whose pureness of heart and purpose enables them to transcend their misfortunes. Ironically, the Russian troops depicted in Friesnnot behave a great deal like the Nazis in Hollywood wartime films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Friedrich Kayssler, Valery Inkijinoff, (more)
- 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)
- 1931
The title tells all in the German comedy Die Falsche Ehemann (The Wrong Husband). As can be gathered, it's a mistaken-identity affair, with a married man being constantly mistaken for his unmarried twin brother. Star Johannes Riemann spends most of the picture running about in his underwear, which should give a good idea of the sort of subtle wit than can be expected here. The film was co-written by Billy Wilder, whose American comedies tended to avoid such obvious bedroom-farce cliches. As with most of his early screenwriting efforts, Wilder worked in collaboration with Paul Frank. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johannes Riemann, Maria Paudler, (more)
