Ruth Leuwerik Movies
- 1977
After World War I, parts of Europe experience hyperinflation, when it took wheelbarrows full of paper currency just to pay for a loaf of bread. The worst time was 1923 and it became known as "The Inflation Year." In this movie, closely following the autobiographical story by Thomas Mann, Professor Cornelius (Martin Held), a history teacher, comes to regret publishing an essay in 1917 supporting the Prussian government which vigorously prosecuted the war effort. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Martin Held, Ruth Leuwerik, (more)
- 1971
This German language suspense film is based on a quite long best-selling novel of the same name by Johannes Mario Simmel and condenses the novel's complex story using flashbacks and rapid movement between locations. When a young man (Alain Noury) goes to Vienna to try to solve the mystery of his industrialist father's assassination, his investigation leads to events that took place in Vienna in 1939. It also infringes on secrets important to all the Allied Force secret services (French, Russian, American and British), so much so that they forget their natural antagonism and join forces to try and stop the young man in his quest for answers. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1964
A man insists that he was framed for a hit-and-run driving accident. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1963
Professor Traugott Naegler (Heinz Ruehmann) is a small-town teacher with 12 children in this remake of the 1951 feature of the same name. He once had chased his sister away for living an amoral life. When the sister dies, she promises to leave her fortune to the first family member who has a child out of wedlock. Naegler writes off the money as a lost cause until he learns that his own marriage is not valid and he will soon have another child, all of whom are deemed illegitimate. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Ilse Page, (more)
- 1963
A woman married to a well-meaning but stuffy attorney has an adulterous affair with a flamboyant author. The novelist is a friend of the family, but the secret affair becomes public when she is involved in an auto accident where she leaves the scene of the crime. The wronged husband gives the police false information to protect his unfaithful wife from being charged with the crime. Consumed with guilt, she finally goes to the police, confesses her sins, and vows to stay with her loving husband. The title refers to the amount of time the couple has been married. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Bernhard Wicki, (more)
- 1962
Redhead, originally released in Germany as Die Rote, is adapted from a novel by Alfred Andersch. Ruth Leuwerik is the carrot-topped protagonist, at wit's end over her disappointing marriage and disillusioning secondary romance. She drops both husband and lover to head to Venice, hoping there to land a job and to enjoy a more fulfilling life. Each person with whom Leuwerik comes in contact is also running away from himself or herself; so much for Venice. After being victimized by deceivers and exploited by self-absorbed martyrs, Leuwerik wearily returns home. Rosanno Brazzi, Giorgio Albertazzi and Gert Froebe costar in Redhead. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Rossano Brazzi, (more)
- 1959
This musical drama is not quite up to the level of its 1956 prequel, Die Trapp Familie -- the inspiration for the immensely popular The Sound of Music. Now the famous singing family, having survived World War II by escaping Austria, are in the U.S. and trying to make a go of it. Their voices are excellent and their talent is obvious, yet the Baroness Maria von Trapp (Ruth Leuwerik) and the Baron (Hans Holt) cannot figure out why they are not more popular. They can barely get an audience together. After much trial and tribulation, it hits them that maybe the fault lies in the songs they choose to perform, so a rehaul of their program is in order. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1959
Die Ideal Frau is a very slight, German romantic comedy that features one of the nation's more popular actresses, Ruth Leuwerik as the mayor of a small town at odds with her husband. The catch is that she is secretly married and to make matters worse, her husband (Martin Benrath) leads the opposition party on the town council. Rather than highlight serious political differences set against a romantic pairing, the scripters and director Josef von Baky have decided to keep the couple's disagreements down to a safe level -- they argue over whether or not a music festival should be held in the town. Perhaps a more burning issue would have added some punch to the comedy. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Martin Benrath, (more)
- 1958
Ruth Leuwerik plays a courageous female doctor in the German POW drama Taiga. Interred in a Siberan prison camp during WWII, Leuwerik lifts the spirits of her fellow prisoners with her dedication to her job and her indomitable spirit. The doctor's humanitarianism even extends to an oaf (Gunter Pfitzmann) who tries to rape her; he wins his undying respect when she protects him from retaliation by the other prisoners. The film's romantic angle is handled by Hanns Messmer as an inmate who vows to marry Leuwerik if and when they are released. Hardly a slice of life-the POW camp is nowhere near as brutal as the real thing -- Taiga nonetheless scores on the strength of its leading players. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Hannes Messemer, (more)
- 1957
Ruth Leuwerik plays the regal title character in the lavish German historical drama Koenige Louise (Queen Louise). The wife of Prussian monarch Friedrich Wilhelm III (Dieter Borsche), Queen Louise quickly becomes one of the most popular women in all Europe. She also convinces her husband to stop squandering his time and talents and to actively participate in the politics of his kingdom. As a result, Wilhelm and the Czar of Russia (Bernhard Wicki) agree to form a united front against the incursions of Napoleon (Rene Deltgren). Alas, this strong political stand proves to be Wilhelm's undoing, and Queen Louise, feeling herself responsible for the political debacle, literally dies of a broken heart. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Dieter Borsche, (more)
- 1956
A free-spirited nun is sent to work as the nanny for an Austrian baron's seven children and helps them to become a renowned singing group. The Baron is a good man, but he runs his family with the discipline of a drill sergeant. The former novitiate feels that children should be allowed to have fun and so teaches them to start enjoying life. She also encourages the talented septet to sing. When the Baron discovers his children acting frivolously, he is enraged. He is just about to fire her when he hears the sweet singing of his children. He keeps her on a little longer and even begins falling in love with her. But then she must return to her convent to renounce her vows. Later they are reunited and the family begins traveling and singing until the Nazis take over and the Trapp family is forced to flee to the U.S. Based on a true story, it was later reworked and remade as the classic musical The Sound of Music. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ruth Leuwerik, Hans Holt, (more)
- 1955
O. W. Fischer stars as Ludwig II, the "mad king" of Bavaria. The film downplays some of Ludwig's most outrageous eccentricities, concentrating instead on his fascination with the Arts. The King's particular favorite in this realm is composer Richard Wagner, played by Paul Bildt. Ludwig's obsession with Wagner bordered on the psychotic, a fact that the film only slightly modifies. Ruth Leuwerik costars as Kaiserin Elizabeth, the wife of Austrian emperor Franz Joseph, with whom Ludwig carried on an ill-advised affair. Also appearing is Friedrich Domin as the great German political leader Bismarck, the man who set the stage for Ludwig's ultimate downfall. Ludwig II was filmed on location in and around the Mad King's opulent castle, which now stands as a popular tourist attraction. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- O.W. Fischer, Ruth Leuwerik, (more)
- 1954
Koenigliche Hoheit (His Royal Highness) was adapted from a novel by Thomas Mann -- who, according to all reports, was pleased with the film version. Ruth Leuwerick stars as an American heiress raised in Europe. She falls in love with Dieter Borsch, a handsome but shy German prince. Their romance seems doomed when Borsch is obliged to enter into a marriage of convenience to save his country from bankruptcy. A fortuitous 11th-hour plot-twist prevents the film from being merely another variation of The Student Prince. Contemporary viewers felt that Koenigliche Hoheit might have benefited from a lighter directorial touch than the one displayed by Dr. Hans Braun. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dieter Borsche, Ruth Leuwerik, (more)
- 1953
The title of this German romantic melodrama translates to A Heart's Foul Play. O. W. Fischer stars as Peter van Booven, an opportunistic young rake who intends to marry a wealthy young lady named Sybilla (Ruth Leuwerick), who is suffering from a terminal illness. At first interested in Sybilla only for her money, Peter eventually falls truly in love with her. Through her courageous and selfless example, Peter undergoes a moral regeneration. Though maudlin in the extreme, Ein Herz Spielt Falsch performed well at the box office in Germany and the rest of Europe, thanks in great part to the popularity of O. W. Fischer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- O.W. Fischer, Ruth Leuwerik, (more)
