Magda Schneider Movies

Sehnsucht 202 (Longing 202) is all about a not-so-slight misunderstanding. A pretty young millionairess places an "Object: Matrimony" newspaper ad, signing herself "Longing 202." At the same time, a poor shop girl, in search of a job, places a separate classified ad -- likewise identifying herself as Longing 202. The inevitable mix-ups occur, with the millionairess landing a department store job and a handsome husband, and the shop girl landing a handsome husband and a "job" of a different sort. The film's two heroines are played by Magda Schneider (mother of Romy Schneider) and a Vienna-born newcomer named Luise Rainer. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ein Bischen Liebe (A Bit of Love) was based on Business in America, a play by Frank & Hirschfield. A wealthy American auto manufacturer pays a visit to Vienna, there to make an inspection tour of his company's Austrian plant. Weaned on the romanticized images of Vienna as seen in the movies, our hero is rather surprised to discover that conditions in Austria are not so far removed as those in the good old USA. Well, there is one difference: while in Vienna, he manages to fall in love for the first time in his life. At this point, Ein Bischen Liebe evolves into a marital-mix-up farce, with all the expected comic cliches. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Liebelei is one of the earliest of the cinematic banquets directed by German filmmaker Max Ophuls. The film, set in imperial Vienna, concerns the romance between a young girl and a lieutenant. A powerful baron misreads the lieutenant's ardor, assuming that it is being directed towards his own wife. A duel follows which, no matter how it turns out, will spell tragedy for at least one of the characters we care about. The central character is portrayed by Magda Schneider, the mother of 1960s film star Romy Schneider. Liebelei was filmed in two different languages, German and French; the latter version was titled Une Histoire D'Amour. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Polish opera star Jan Kiepura makes a rare film appearance in the British Be Mine Tonight. Kiepura plays an opera star who is besieged by his eager female fans. He heads to a tiny village where no one knows who he is. The peace and quiet rapidly drives him crazy, but at least he finds romance in the form of Magda Schneider. Be Mine Tonight was filmed simultaneously in English and German versions. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

The wintry mountainscapes of Bavaria provide the backdrop for this airy German comedy. The story is set in motion when young clerk Boenecke (Richard Romanowsky) accidentally delivers a check to the wrong bank. Boenecke's boss Schumann (Walter Steinbeck) suspects the clerk of embezzlement -- especially since our hero has taken off on an extended Alpine vacation with his sweetheart Hilde (Magda Schneider). Before this comic chain reaction can be straightened out, hero and heroine have become entangled with a gang of female pickpockets. Essentially a "moonlight and strudel" confection, Winterachtstraum was perfect escapist entertainment for Magda Schneider's legions of fans. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Several of Germany and Austria's most popular screen personalities, including Magda Schneider, Leo Slezak and Georg Alexander, are teamed up in the tuneful Rendezvous in Wien (Rendezvous in Vienna). Wolf Albach-Retty plays Franz Lenhardt, a talented but impoverished composer. In love with true-blue Gusti (Schneider), Franz would like to support her in the manner to which she is accustomed, but he can't seem to make a sale. Putting their heads together, Gusti and her all-wise aunt Hofrat (Adele Sandrock) pull a few strings to ensure Franz' ultimate success. Some chucklesome moments are provided by Slezak as a self-important singer and Alexander as a libidinous music publisher. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Ein Stelldichein im Schwarwald (Rendezvous in the Black Forest) is a curious amalgam of music, romance and slapstick farce. Anticipating many a Hollywood musical of the 1940s, the story is motivated by a "battle" between popular tunes and the classics. Two young composers, Paul (Harald Paulsen) and Peter (Hugo Schrader), try to peddle their tunes to an old-fashioned song publisher named Kuehlmann (Theo Lingen). One of the boys also attempts to woo and win the publisher's pretty daughter Lenox (Magda Schneider). What plot there is merely serves as an excuse to parade a series of lavish musical highlights across the screen. Incidentally, leading lady Magda Schneider was the mother of 1960s film favorite Romy Schneider. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This comical mix up features a baron who falls for a young woman on her way to visit her aunt in Vienna. When he call to ask for the girls hand in marriage, he calls the wrong aunt about the wrong niece. ~ Rovi

Trouble rears its ugly head when the young emperor and empress of Austria arrive in Budapest for their coronation. ~ Rovi

Based on an operetta by Franz Schubert, the film is partially biographical. Franz (Karlheinz Boehm) is in love with Hannerl (Johanna Matz) but is too shy to reveal his feelings. After composing a love song, he engages a young baron to sing to her. Hannerl instead falls in love with the baron. The girl's parents lament over the problems of Hannerl and her two sisters, who are all young women living at home and eligible for marriage. Beethoven (Ewald Balser) and legendary music publisher Diabelli (Richard Romanowsky) are Schubert's famous contemporaries, giving historical perspective to the three music legends. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

The trilogy on Franz Josef, Emperor of Austria and his queen Empress Elizabeth by director Ernest Marischka has been cut and spliced to make this interesting though slow-paced, two and a half-hour compilation costume drama. The tale starts out with the courtship of the future queen, known as "Sissi" (Romy Schneider, who made her screen debut in the first of the three dramas), an attractive and lively young woman. After Franz Josef (Karl Boehm) falls in loves and captures Sissi's heart, they plan their wedding and head into the topic of the second feature in the series, the coronation of Franz Josef in Budapest. Finally, Sissi is shown as being instrumental in helping to keep the peace -- or obtain it -- among the belligerent nations of Europe. The original titles of each of the three separate dramas were Sissi, Sissi, die Junge Kaiserin, and Sissi, Schicksalsjahre Einer Kaiserin. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi