Iris Berben
- 1998
Three German women embark upon a light-hearted road-trip to Barcelona where the eldest one plans to marry the man who impregnated her. The three girls all work at the same book-publishing house in Frankfurt. Gabriele Rettich, the chief editor, is the bride-to-be and wants to drive to the Spanish city for a pre-wedding vacation with her pals Sophie, who is secretly in love with a bookseller, and Relate Czerny, who is in a dull relationship. Once in Spain, Gabriele reveals a secret, Relate has a fling, and both women give Sophie an exciting makeover. None of them realize that the bookseller and Renate's lover also have business in Barcelona and that their paths are about to cross. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Iris Berben, Martina Gedeck, (more)
- 1998
One of Germany's most important female directors, Doris Dörrie chose the subject of the universal quest for happiness for the film Bin ich Schön?. Set in Spain and Germany, the film interlaces individual stories of broken hearts and broken dreams with aspirations of new beginnings. On a hot afternoon in Spain, Linda is standing beside the road wearing a thin summer dress and carrying a handbag. A car stops and Werner, a robust-looking German, picks her up. She shows him a note which says, "I am deaf-mute and in need of your help." Werner is touched. As they move off together, Linda throws her handbag out of the window. In a near-by motel, Klaus is on the phone to Munich trying to convince his reluctant girlfriend Franziska to come down to Spain. Linda and Werner have checked into the next room where Werner is asking Linda to hit him with his belt. Plots and subplots intertwine until the film reaches a climax during a religious procession. In an ironic way, the film celebrates life with a message that life is here today and then it's gone. No beginning, no end and enjoy it while you can. Bin ich schön? was screened as part of the New German Films at the 49th International Berlin Film Festival, 1999. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Senta Berger, Gottfried John, (more)
- 1997
- NR
Safe sex just got a lot more dangerous in this purposefully outrageous comedy from Germany. A college professor, Mr. Smirnoff (Ralf Wolter) lures an attractive female student, who is willing to do just about anything to improve her grade, to New York's Hotel Quickie, where he avails himself of one of the free condoms provided by the management. However, the prophylactic in question has sprouted teeth and has a taste for blood, and before long, the prof is suddenly missing a penis. Assigned to investigate this strange case is detective Luigi Mackeroni (Udo Samel), a gay policeman who just transferred from Sicily and is a little lonely in his new home. When Luigi and Billy (Marc Richter), a good looking hustler, decide to repair to the Hotel Quickie for some fun and games, the detective himself is attacked by the carnivorous rubber (though his injuries are considerably less than those suffered by Prof. Smirnoff). Now much better acquainted with his new nemesis, Luigi has to convince his partner about the menace of the killer condoms, while in his spare time, he tries to brush off the uninvited advances of burly transvestite Babette (Leonard Lansink). Kondom des Grauens, released in the United States by Troma as Killer Condom, was based on a comic book by German cartoonist Ralf Koenig, who also wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1996
An adorable racing pig helps bring a dysfunctional family together in this touching German family film. The family troubles began when father, Dr. Heinrich Guetzkow, an Egyptologist, lost his job. With nothing to do but hang around the house, Guetzkow, gets on everyone's nerves and his children have begun to lose respect for him. At the local fair, the kids win a piglet and demand to keep it. Rudy proves to filled with mischief and gets the family booted out of their apartment. This creates more family turmoil that culminates in the mother leaving home for a while. It is the final race and then another race to save Rudy from the sausage factory that finally reunites the family. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1992
When they hear that an architect is coming to look over their apartment building, the residents of this East Berlin building get all panicky, because they believe the landlord intends to kick them out and replace them with people able to pay higher rents. They form a tenants' association, electing Cosima to sort things out, and try to appeal to the landlord's better nature. What she discovers is that the building managers are unaware that the real owner is a drunken bum named Klaus who has been so out of touch that he is unaware that his father (the previous owner) is dead. She and all the tenants set out on a campaign to sober Klaus up and get him to take an interest not only in his life, but in this all-important building. In this comedy, this is just what happens. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Iris Berben, Ralf Richter, (more)
- 1984
- R
A youthful doctor finds himself in a sticky position when two different women he has been sexually active with, meet. ~ Kristie Hassen, All Movie Guide
- 1984
In this standard, stereotypical, youth-oriented film, Mona (Claudia Demarmels) has just received the awful news that she has to move out of her apartment because her landlady plans on turning it over to her son -- and so the impossible quest for an affordable place begins. As Mona goes from door to door looking for her ideal new home, she encounters one adventure after another -- and unconsciously or not, seems headed toward a knight in shining armor and another good apartment all in one package. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- August Zirner, Rolf Zacher, (more)
- 1983
When Chris (Rolf Zacher) is behind on his rent and all the other monthly bills as well, his solution is to steal a car and go out for a "joy-ride." Along the way he picks up two new cohorts who are equally bent on trashing the world, and the trio runs into a stroke of luck when they spot an East German car -- with the horsepower of a lawn mower -- loaded with money for transfer across the border and chugging its way along the road. Fate seems to have cast wealth at the feet of the trio just for the taking, as they bumble their way into a robbery that will nevertheless end in tragedy. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Rolf Zacher
This politically oriented spaghetti western, chronicles the exploits of a mercenary who aligns himself with a revolutionary. Their goal is to liberate a peaceful professor and his students who are being held hostage in Texas. The mercenary's real reason for joining him is that the revolutionary knows the location of a cache of gold. En route to Texas they run into a strange wooden handed gunslinger who likes to smoke marijuana. The gunman is accompanied by his pet falcon. Tension between the mercenary and the rebel rise throughout the movie, but when the opposing forces attack, they unite. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1970
Eva (Iris Berben) glady accepts the gifts of the middle-aged Sugar Daddy (Janos Goenczoel) but refuses his amorous advances. When Eva runs off with the playboy Hipster (Jochen Richter), Sugar Daddy sends his chauffeur (Morgens von Gadow) to retrieve the wayward woman. A chase scene reminiscent of silent-era comedies ensues as the amorous couple runs from the chauffeur in hot pursuit right behind them. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Iris Berben, Jochen Richter, (more)
