Paula Wessely Movies

Homosexuality is exploited to the tasteless hilt in the 1957 cheapie The Third Sex. The parents of Paul Dahlke can't understand why their son isn't interested in he-man activities. They soon discover that he's-argh! gasp!--gay. Even worse, he's hanging out with a KNOWN PERVERT!!!! There is nothing for it but to "straighten out" the boy, in as cold and brutal a manner as possible. This one must be seen to be believed. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The story of Maria Theresia of the old Austro-Hungarian Hapsburg regime is reverently brought to the screen in this lengthy biopic. The title character is played by Paula Wessely, who also produced the film. Wessely's portrayal of Maria Theresia as a woman motivated by envy and revenge enlivens an otherwise plodding script. Of the supporting players, only Otto Tressler, Cees Laseur and Rosa Albach Retty managed to avoid being outshone by the star. Though Paula Wessely had been making films since 1934, Maria Theresia was the first occasion in which she controlled every aspect of production. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In this Austrian romantic comedy, set in old Vienna, a young girl attempts to support herself and her elderly mother. She meets a kindly art dealer who offers to help her, but unfortunately, she questions his motives. She then meets the tutor of the dealer's two sons, an ex-officer. Confusion ensues until the dealer's wife straightens out the whole affair. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This epic Austrian production was credited to Michael Kertesz, who became better known as Michael Curtiz. It was also the screen debut of Walter Slezak. Mary Conway (Lucy Doraine) agrees to marry the wealthy Jackson Harber (George Reimers) to save her mother (Erika Wagner) from a forgery charge. She's really in love with Harry Lighton, a poor sculptor (Kurt Ehrle). At the engagement party, Lighton shoots himself, and Mary turns vindictive and cynical. She decides to make Harber's son, Edward (Slezak), fall in love with her and she succeeds. In an attempt to save Edward, his tutor (Michael Varkonyl) tells him the story of the queen of sin, who he compares to Mary. When this doesn't work, he goes to Mary and relates the story of Lot's wife. When Mary falls asleep, she dreams, in vivid cinematic detail, about the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, in which Lighton is Lot and she is his wife. When she wakes up, she calls off the wedding and goes to Lighton, who is recovering from his wound. Haber and his son reconcile. In its European release, this picture was 18 reels long; it was cut down to eight for release in the States, but the severe editing made the story disjointed and confusing. ~ Janiss Garza, Rovi