Curd Jürgens Movies
German actor Curd Jurgens worked as a journalist until his first wife, actress Louise Basler, persuaded him to take up acting. In 1935 he began appearing on the German stage and screen, and gradually increased his career status until 1944, when he was sent to a concentration camp at the order of Dr. Goebbels. After his release he continued to appear in German films, gaining international recognition with his work in The Devil's General (1955). Jurgens went on to be a leading star of the European stage and international films; onscreen he often played urbane villains, and sometimes was cast as a Nazi. Although he appeared in over 100 films, he considered himself primarily a stage actor. He directed a few films with limited success, and also wrote screenplays. Jurgens was married five times; one of his wives was actress Eva Bartok. He authored an autobiography, Sixty and Not Yet Wise. ~ All Movie Guide- 1981
This story starts in 1980 in Paris as the memories of Andrei Borodin (Igor Kostolevsky), a Soviet agent, take the action back to 1943 during the Teheran meetings of Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. A high-ranking Nazi intelligence officer (Albert Filozov) developed a plan to assassinate the three world leaders in order to undermine the Allied forces. He commissioned a German agent Max Richard (Armen Dzhigarkhanyan) to carry out his plan, but it failed due to the quick action and thinking of Andrei. While in Teheran, Andrei met a Russian woman (Natalia Belokhvostikova) living in the city and they had a brief but intense affair. Nearly four decades later, the Nazi officer has been captured - but not for long. Freed by terrorists, the officer is hunting down the German agent who failed to carry out the planned assassinations. In the meantime, the Soviet agent is in Paris to meet his lover from years ago, and modern terrorists pose threats that seem to have been carried across the decades. Alain Delon briefly appears as the ill-fated police inspector who must hunt down the terrorists. Teheran '43 won a Gold Medal at the 1981 Moscow Film Festival. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Natalya Belokhvostikova, Igor Kostolevsky, (more)
- 1979
The Patriot is the kind of symbolic, avant-garde, historical and cultural drama that lends itself to several viewings in order to get at the basis of what, in this case, director Alexander Kluge had in mind. Various aspects of German history are explored from several angles in a series of odd sequences. Gabi Teichert (Hannelore Hogar) is both a history teacher and a patriot. One day she goes out into the winter landscape carrying a shovel (digging for the truth?). She comes across is a dead soldier killed at the battle of Leningrad, whose symbolically disembodied knee speaks to her. Next, Gabi scans the landscape with a telescope, looking for evidence. Later, she is at a convention of the Social Democrat Party and tries to find information there. The scenes continue at different venues and with different people as this history teacher tries to piece together history. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Hannelore Hoger, Alfred Edel, (more)
- 1979
Based on a short story by Sheridan Le Fanu, this thriller follows a series of murders that occur as a young man attempts to court a high-society lady. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- 1979
Michel Serrault plays a double role in this lighthearted comedy. An ineffectual actor is called on to portray his look-alike cousin, a prominent politician who is driven into hiding after he learns of an assassination plot. Jean Poiret plays the political consultant who recruits the uncured ham for the role of his life. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Michel Serrault, Jean Poiret, (more)
- 1979
Anyone interested in why UFOs might be stealing our lettuce deserves to sit through this film. The plot, not a regular garden-variety, involves an earthling experimenting with the explosive potential of lettuce. This singularly dedicated biologist runs into interference by the police, finds his mother who has been missing for years, and begins a love affair with the daughter of a baker. Involved in this mix of characters is the U.S and Russian armies, and a film crew working on a movie about Hitler. None of these elements make sense in the long run, or short run either. These oddities are being observed from the UFO, which is perched out in space like a hawk, waiting for one of the little lettuces to blossom into a full-blown explosive device before it swoops down to steal the organic weapon of mass destruction. This film was distinguished at the 1984 Vienna Film Festival as being one of the entries in the "Cinema Nobody Likes" category. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ursula Monn
- 1978
Cruise Missile takes its time getting to its much-anticipated climax, but by and large it's worth the wait. Peter Graves heads a special task force, assigned to literally save the world. A wacko has gotten hold of a nuclear cruise missile, and has threatened to touch off World War 3. What possible benefit this will have for the villain is never completely explained; it's enough that it provides a consistent level of suspense. Curt Jurgens and Michael Dante costar in this apocalyptic nailbiter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1977
This German picture, filmed in Puerto Rico, stars Curt Jurgens as a tough German sea captain. He rescues a group of nurses who have been captured by bandits and later takes on a gang of drug smugglers. For the American release, the film's distributor, Independent-International, had director Al Adamson shoot 20 minutes of new footage. ~ Brian Gusse, All Movie Guide
- 1974
In this drama, a young woman with expensive tastes uses unusual methods to confront the corporation and its CEO who controls her rapidly falling corporate stock. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1972
This French film is a sex comedy set in the World War I period. Franz (Leonard Whiting) is in love with the Colonel's daughter, but the Colonel will not let a mere lieutenant marry any daughter of his. In order to further his career so as to wed the woman of his dreams, Franz makes love to a succession of women. Bedroom confidences lead him to get hold of the Russian plan for an attack on his countrymen. This gets him his promotion and the hand of his girl. When he finds himself behind enemy lines, he heads off for yet another adventure involving a General (Curt Jurgens) and his mistress. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Curd Jürgens, Sylvie Fennec, (more)
- 1971
Kill is an English-language, French-made crime thriller/melodrama with elements of satire. In this film, Alan (James Mason) is an Interpol agent "on the take" from international drug rings he is supposed to investigate. Before he can get to Asia on his next assignment, his beloved wife Emily (Jean Seberg) takes a vacation trip to Asia. Why is the American narcotics agent (Stephen Boyd) following her? She is unaware of her husband's lack of uprightness, and the adventures she stumbles into (all as a result of her Alan's connections) puzzle and frighten her. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stephen Boyd, Jean Seberg, (more)
- 1971
Adapted from a Fred Mustard Stewart novel, this offbeat occult thriller stars Alan Alda (just prior to his eleven-year stint on M*A*S*H) as journalist and burgeoning musician Myles Clarkson, whose long-sought interview with ailing concert pianist (and closet Satanist) Duncan Ely (Curt Jurgens) leads to a mysterious ritual in which Ely's soul is transferred into Clarkson's body at the moment of the elder man's death. Further complications ensue when Myles' wife Paula (Jacqueline Bisset) discovers the none-too-subtle change in her husband's behavior, and she is pulled deeper into Ely's twisted circle. The plot thickens as further soul-swapping, dark family secrets, and demonic possession come into play. A heavy sense of doom pervades this bizarre film, thanks to some offbeat cinematography and eerie music, as well as some truly shocking setpieces courtesy of prolific TV director Paul Wendkos, who helmed the excellent Legend of Lizzie Borden. The prosaic Alda lacks the dangerous edge his character demands, but Bisset's performance is chillingly effective. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Alda, Jacqueline Bisset, (more)
- 1971
Deported from the U.S., Henry (Charles Southwood) and his girlfriend Marie (Nathalie Delon) just want to lay low, living the easy life on a South Sea island. Instead, they are unwillingly drawn into a series of wild adventures involving wayward Nazis (including Curt Jurgens), the Mafia, and sundry other hazardous types. This adventure comedy is in French. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Southwood, Natalie Delon, (more)
- 1970
Konrad Johannsen (Curt Jurgens) is the World War II submarine commander who made a pact with God. He agreed to become a priest if he is saved from the sinking sub. After the war, he becomes a priest in the Reeperbahn district, a seamy section of Hamburg plagued by sex, drugs and rock & roll. The local criminals seek to drive him out and employ a prostitute in an attempt to make him fall from grace and give in to the pleasures of the flesh. Konrad avoids temptation as he deals with the villains, saves fallen women and rescues fishermen is distress. Above all, he keeps his promise to God for saving his life during the war. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
James Bond-flick director Guy Hamilton helmed this episodic, all-star World War II film. With Sir Laurence Olivier heading up an ensemble cast as flight commander Sir Hugh Dowdling, The Battle of Britain pays tribute to other nationalities instrumental in fending off the waves of Luftwaffe planes, notably the expatriate Polish and Czech pilots. Trevor Howard, Michael Caine, and Michael Redgrave also populate the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Andrews, Trevor Howard, (more)
- 1969
Originally released as The Battle of the Neretva, this sprawling epic is a tribute to the Yugoslav partisan fighters of World War II. Yul Brynner stars as a guerilla leader whose mission in life is to eradicate all Nazis from his homeland (recently revealed instances of Yugoslav collaboration are dispensed with in this uncomplicated actioner). Hardy Kruger costars as Brynner's principle German antagonist. Originally released at 175 minutes, this $12 million spectacular was ruthlessly whittled down to 102 minutes by its American distributors. The resultant film looks like a series of outtakes in search of a story, but the action scenes more than compensate for the overall incoherence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yul Brynner, Hardy Kruger, (more)
- 1969
In this exciting war drama, a hard-nosed army colonel helps to prepare French beaches for D-day using a band of convicted criminals. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
Curt Jurgens once again displays his considerable charms as an actor while performing in a role set in the middle of the colorful St. Pauli district of Hamburg. In this story, he is a sea captain who spent eight years in prison for a crime he didn't commit. Now he is forbidden to follow his profession, and his name and honor have been sullied. In order to put his life back in order, he is attempting to find out who actually did the crime he was punished for. Along the way he encounters a girl who is much too young to become his lover, and they become deeply attached to one another. It's just as well neither of them is able to consummate their growing affection, for he later discovers that she is his daughter. Even with a story touching on an overlarge grouping of themes, including murder, dope rings, prostitution, and corruption, critics found this sometimes sentimental movie highly appealing. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Curd Jürgens, Heinz Reincke, (more)
- 1969
Two physician brothers meet after several years when one is accused of murder. Dr. Jan Diffring (Curt Jurgens) is the sympathetic doctor who helps people from all walks of life. Drunken sailors, prostitutes and the poor are aided by the dedicated doctor. His brother Klaus (Horst Naumann) is a gynecologist who caters to the wealthy social elite. Klaus hobnobs with the blue-bloods and takes part in orgies out of sheer boredom. When a sailor is accused of a brutal murder, the trail leads to the arrogant Klaus. The accused sailor has a world of friends who stand by him while the bad doctor is abandoned by his upper-crust clientele as he finds he really has no friends. Klaus considers suicide as the only way out as things close in around him in this dark drama. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Curd Jürgens, Horst Naumann, (more)
The Assassination Bureau is loosely based on a turn-of-the-century yarn written by Jack London. Nellie Bly-style girl reporter Sonya Winter (Diana Rigg) tries to get the goods on shady businessman Ivan Dragomiloff (Oliver Reed). Ivan is in charge of a wide-reaching organization which, for a price, assassinates those who "need killing." As a challenge, Sonya offers to pay Ivan a huge sum if he'll instruct his minions to assassinate him; Ivan agrees, hoping that it will put a little kick in his work. Despite his profession, Ivan isn't the villain of the piece; that honor goes to evil nobleman Lord Bostwick (Telly Savalas), whose perfidy leads Sonya into joining forces with the Assassination Bureau. A wild climactic chase in a zeppelin caps this tongue-in-cheek escapade. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Oliver Reed, Diana Rigg, (more)
