Lilli Palmer Movies
The daughter of a German surgeon and an Austrian actress, Lilli Palmer was ten years old when she began appearing in amateur theatricals in Berlin. She studied for a theater career with Ilka Gruning, a character actress best known for her brief appearance as a refugee in Casablanca (1942). Shortly after her professional bow in 1932, Palmer fled from Germany to escape the incoming Nazi government. She worked at Paris' Moulin Rouge, then learned English well enough to appear in British films from 1935 and on the London stage from 1938. In the company of her first husband, Rex Harrison (whom she married in 1943), Palmer came to America in 1945, appearing in such stage productions as Anne of a Thousand Days and Bell, Book and Candle, and in such films as Cloak and Dagger (1946) and Body and Soul (1948). In 1952, she co-starred with Harrison in the film adaptation of the Broadway hit The Four Poster. Her marriage dissolved when Harrison became interested in movie leading lady Kay Kendall; her second -- and last -- husband was actor Carlos Thompson. Resettling in Europe in 1954, Palmer periodically returned to Hollywood for such projects as the well-circulated 1955 TV anthology The Lilli Palmer Theater. She continued to star in films produced in virtually every corner of the world, and to appear on Broadway. A prolific writer, Lilli Palmer published several books, including her 1975 autobiography Change Lobsters and Dance. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1937
In this romantic drama, a renowned stage singer leaves the theater to become a gypsy after his voice weakens. The break down of his voice is caused by nerves. In the gypsy camp he continues to sing on the street. In camp, he falls for a beautiful, naive gypsy girl who doesn't know that he is famous. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Arthur Tracy, Lilli Palmer, (more)
- 1937
The magnificent Will Hay re-creates his vaudeville characterization of a supercilious schoolmaster in Good Morning Boys. Donning pince-nez and academic garb, Hay is cast as Dr. Benjamin Twist, headmaster of a seedy boarding school. Unbeknownst to Twist, an escaped convict has taken up residence in the school, disguised as a rather mature student. Also unbeknownst to Twist, his school is being used as a rendezvous for a gang of art thieves who plan to steal the Mona Lisa. Perennial Will Hay stooge Graham Moffatt plays an overweight undergrad named Albert, but the inimitable, toothless Moore Marriott (aka "Harbottle") is conspicuous by his absence. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Will Hay, Martita Hunt, (more)
- 1936
The popularity of musical-comedy favorite Jack Hulbert sometimes obscured the fact that his brother Claude was a talented farceur in his own right. In Wolf's Clothing, Claude Hulbert plays Ambrose Girling, an upper-class twit who happens to be the exact double of a notorious international assassin. Forced to pose as his look-alike, Ambrose gets mixed up in a sinister espionage plot, with such fringe benefits as fancy clothes and gorgeous girls. Lili Palmer, who'd only been in England for a year or so, makes one of her earliest appearances as the ingenue (a role curiously overlooked in most official resumes of Palmer's career). Based on a stage comedy by Evadne Price and Brock Williams, Wolf's Clothing represents the second British directorial effort of Hungarian-born Andrew Marton. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claude Hulbert, Gordon Harker, (more)
- 1936
A wealthy doctor's bratty son throws a temper tantrum when his father denies him a car. To get even, the spoiled sprout heads for France to join a gang of car thieves. Fortunately, his devoted father speeds across the Channel to save him from further travels down a ruinous road. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Based on the novels of W. Somerset Maugham, The Secret Agent is the second in a trilogy of Alfred Hitchcock spy movies (along with The 39 Steps and Sabotage). Set during WWI, John Gielgud plays British novelist Edgar Brodie who discovers that a government agency has faked his own death. He is then given orders to go to Switzerland to kill a German agent. He goes by the name of Richard Ashenden and travels with secret agent Elsa Carrington (Madeleine Carroll), who poses as his wife. Richard joins professional killer the General (Peter Lorre) to look for clues, which leads them to suspect the tourist Caypor (Percy Marmont). Elsa occupies Caypor's wife, Florence Kahn, while Richard and the General attempt to complete their mission during a climbing trip in the Alps. It turns out he was the wrong man, so the spies reluctantly start another search for clues that leads them to the American charmer Robert Marvin (Robert Young). Unfortunately, he has just boarded a train to Greece with Elsa, so they have to get onboard and warn her. The situation is complicated with an air attack, where several key players meet their fate. The Secret Agent marked a rare instance where Hitchcock was pressured into changing the ending from the more grim original. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Madeleine Carroll, Peter Lorre, (more)
- 1931
Based on a stage play by C. Stafford Dickens, Command Performance is also beholden to The Prisoner of Zenda and other Ruritanian romances of that ilk. Neil Hamilton stars as Peter Fedor, a stage actor who bears a striking resemblance to Prince Alexis of Kordovia (also Neil Hamilton). Getting into a fight with the hotheaded Alexis, Peter gives the prince a royal shiner. Impressed by his courage, the Queen Mother (Vera Lewis) orders Peter to impersonate Alexis, who has announced that he will give up his throne if he is forced to marry the contentious Princess Katerina (Una Merkel). Peter and the Princess fall in love, whereupon the petulant Alexis is told to take a hike. Command Performance was one of several interesting if not altogether successful films produced by James Cruze for low-budget Tiffany Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Neil Hamilton, Una Merkel, (more)
Tom Walls plays an altruistic mystery man in this 1938 comedy from director Albert de Courville. London has become enthralled by the antics of the contemporary Robin Hood, but when a band of bad guys start framing him for their misdeeds, the hero has to catch the criminals and clear his name. Crackerjack also stars Lilli Palmer. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
