Friedrich Kayssler Movies

Director Veit Harlan, one of the most conspicuous banner-wavers for the Third Reich, manages to suppress his political beliefs in the straightforward mystery melodrama Verwehte Spuren (Covered Tracks). The film is based on a true story, wherein all traces of the existence of a bubonic-plague carrier were obliterated by the nervous authrorities so as not to endanger the success of the 1867 Paris World Exposition. When the mother of Serphine Lawrence (played by Harlan's wife Kristina Soederbaum) mysteriously vanishes while attending the Exposition, Madeleine makes a beeline to the gendarmes. Upon returning to her hotel, Madeleine is told that she and her mother never checked in-and when she goes to her room, she finds that the furnishings and even the wallpaper are entirely different! On the verge of madness, Madeleine is finally able to discern the truth about her "nonexistent" mother. The same story served as the basic for the 1949 British film So Long at the Fair. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adam (Emil Jannings) is the eternally inebriated magistrate of a small Dutch town. While carousing drunken around town late one night, Adam stumbles into the boudoir of Eve Rull (Angela Sallocker), whereupon he is soundly thrashed by Eve's lover. In the fracas, he loses his all-important judicial wig and also smashes a rare antique jug which has been in Eve's family for years. The next morning, Adam is forced to open court without his wig, though he manages to hide the fact that he was involved in the "battle royal" of the night before. And then Eve's mother storms into court, demanding that Adam ascertain the identity of the unknown intruder who broke her precious jug... And no, this isn't a comedy! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Eine Frau Ohne Bedeutung was adapted by Thea von Harbou from the 1893 Oscar Wilde comedy A Woman of No Importance. Though updated to the 1930s, the story, concerning a reconciliation between an estranged father and son as orchestrated by an "unimportant" woman, remains the same. Perhaps Wilde had not intended his third act to be quite so melodramatic, but it must be remembered that von Harbou previously worked on such films as Dr. Mabuse and Metropolis. Without a thorough knowledge of German, one is hard-pressed to determine whether or not Wilde's epigrammatic dialogue survived intact. Still, audiences in 1936 were satisfied, as were the producers when Eine Frau Ohne Bedeutung turned out to be a success. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Swedish romance, a strapping farm boy is betrothed to a pretty socialite. Unfortunately, he really loves a simple girl from the marsh. His engagement to the wealthy lass is broken after he gets into a barroom brawl. He is then able to marry the woman he really loves. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This German flag-waver recounts the life and career of famed 19th-century Prussian military leader General Yorck. Werner Krauss, who 13 years earlier had starred in Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, plays the title role. The film's dramatic high-water mark is the moment in 1812 that Yorck refuses to obey his wrong-minded King, whereupon he is branded a rebel. Within a few years, the German film industry would be nationalized by the Nazi party, whereupon any film in which a courageous general dared to stand up to his country's leader would be rejected out of hand. Ironically, by that time the fervently patriotic Werner Krauss would be designated an "Actor of the State." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Released in English-speaking countries as The Man Who Murdered, this German melodrama was based on a play by Pierre Frondale (itself inspired by a novel by Claude Farere). Set in pre-WWI Constantinople, the story concerns French diplomatic attache Conrad Veidt, who seduces Trude von Molo, the wife of British aristocrat Heinrich George. Confronted by George, Veidt kills the man, then turns himself into the authorities. But because George was known to be a sadist and a wife-beater, a compassionate Turkish official allows Veidt to return to Paris -- and the arms of Molo -- without fear of arrest or repercussions. Director Kurt Bernhardt regarded Der Mann der den Mord Beging as one of his best films, not so much because of what happens in the film, but because of the omnipresent atmosphere of tension over what might happen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Set in 1806, this is the story of Prussia's best-loved queen, as played by Henny Porten, one of Germany's best-loved actresses. The tragic fate of Queen Luise -- and, by extension, of her homeland -- is sealed by the weaklings and prevaricators all around her. Gustaf Gundgrens gives a masterful performance as the vacillating, ineffectual King Friedrich Wilhelm III. American reviewers paid homage to the film's excellent production values but felt that it was doomed to failure outside Germany because of its melancholy subject matter. The film was based on Luise, a novel by Walter Von Molo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gustav Froehlich and Charlotte Susa play Rochus and Judith, the zwei menschen (two humans) of the title. Rochus' domineering mother insists that he enter the priesthood, but he is reluctant to break up his blissful romance with the fair Judith. A religious fanatic of the first order, the mother swears before God and her Church that Rochus will indeed take his vows. When this does not come about, she dies of grief, whereupon the guilt-stricken Rochus abandons Judith to become a priest. The girl subsequently commits suicide -- and it is Rochus who must officiate over her body during the funeral. This final scene was excised from the print of Zwei Menschen released in New York, leaving audiences hanging in regard to Judith's ultimate fate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This romantic "mountain film" takes place on Mont Blanc, where the meteorologist Hannes (Sepp Rist) resides in an isolated observatory. Hella Armstrong (Leni Riefenstahl), who lives in the valley below with her astronomer father (Friedrich Kayssler), sees Hannes's observatory while flying over it in an airplane with stunt pilot Ernst Udet (who plays himself). She subsequently visits Hannes and the two fall in love. He urges her to visit his ailing musician friend Walter (Mathias Wieman), but when she does he starts to fear that they have become lovers. The distraught Hannes decides to stay for another year of work on Mont Blanc, but his hands freeze when he loses his gloves and is caught in a storm. Unable to build a fire, he tries to descend to safety but the cracks that have formed in the glacier compel him to turn back. Hella picks up his mayday message on the radio in her father's observatory and heads to Mont Blanc with a rescue team. Before she reaches Hannes, Udet is able to fly in and save his life by building a fire. 30/110 ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide

More formerly known as Das Floetenkonzert von Sanssouci, this German historical drama is set during the reign of Prussia's Frederick the Great (here played by Otto Gebuehr, who made a career out of the role). Forced against his will to go back to war by his enemies, the King stirs up the patriotism of his countrymen by staging the titular flute concert. At one point, Frederick rails against the iniquities of "peace treaties," an obvious -- and anachronistic -- swipe at the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. This propagandistic sidebar is quite surprising in a pre-Third Reich German film but should not be constituted as being pro-Nazi (indeed, director Gustav Uelcky was forced to flee Europe when Hitler came to power). Still, it cannot be denied that Floetenkonzert is a glorification of war and warfare, no matter how prettily it was put together. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just before launching the American phase of his career, filmmaker Alexander Korda directed his actress-wife Maria Corda in the German production A Modern DuBarry. Corda plays Toinette, a saucy, somewhat amoral scullery maid. Bouncing from bed to bed, Toinette becomes the mistress of Count Martel (Alfred Gerasch) and, ultimately, the King of Andalia (Jean Bradin). This final liaison very nearly topples the Andalian government, but Toinette manages to survive this ordeal with nary a hair out of place, though she does cry and cry a lot when things don't go her way. It was Modern DuBarry, completed in 1926, that landed Korda his Hollywood contract -- and the rest, as they say, is history. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide