Terry Torday Movies

This European drama chronicles the life of a 13-year old Jewish girl in the 1950's during Stalin's reign. It is told from her point of view. The story begins in 1952. Kati is in class when she is abruptly removed and informed of her mother's death. Because her father works in a distant city, Kati must live briefly with her uncaring uncle. She eventually returns to her former apartment which she must share with another family. She must return because there is a housing shortage. Any empty flats are seized and occupied. To ease her subsequent loneliness, Kati begins holding imaginary conversations with her mother. Though the images are surprisingly real to Kati, they do not take the place of real friends and affections. Trouble ensues after she holds a birthday party at her house. There is liquor. After the party, Kati expresses erotic thoughts. Her teacher discovers the diary. Kati does find love with a bookseller who is involved with another woman. She invites him to share her apartment. The night she loses her virginity is disappointing. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this provocative Hungarian melodrama, a clothing designer becomes obsessed with learning the truth about a young French woman. The designer is convinced that this young girl is the daughter she gave up for adoption many years before. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This German drama is a star vehicle which was apparently created specifically for the venerable and beloved German actor Heinz Ruhmann In it, he plays a freight-ship captain, Ebbs, who is given an opportunity to captain a Mediterranean luxury liner. The liner's passengers are "toffs," upper-class people, and the captain would much rather be with his greasy freighter crew than have to deal with these fussy people. This movie marks Joseph Offenbach's last appearance on film. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Susanne (Terry Torday) is the erotic hostess who gives comfort to the visitors to her hotel. All of the vices in the country are heavily taxed, including drinking and making love. Susanne and a group of nude women try to give some relief to the beleaguered and overtaxed clientele. The feature is plagued by lowbrow humor and suggestive dialogue. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This German-language comedy is the first effort at legitimate filmmaking by former porno film director Franz Antel. The story concerns a professor's research of animals that are closely related to mankind. His chief research target is a chimpanzee who, unknown to him, has a drinking habit. The majority of the film's humor comes from the goofy situations precipitated by the chimp. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

When a disillusioned journalist has a nervous breakdown, he loses his family and his vocation as he tries to come to grips with his dilemma. His wife leaves him because he no longer has the idealistic fervor she feels he once possessed. He feels increasingly alienated from the fast-growing, mechanical society as he mourns the loss of the importance of people as individuals. He slowly becomes bitter, cynical and tries to forget his troubles in a series of tawdry affairs with bawdy women. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

Susanne (Terry Torday) is the hostess of a popular hotel on the Lahn River. When she vacations in Paris, she becomes romantically involved with the emperor Napoleon. She sets him up with a bride and manages to uncover some military secrets in the court of the amorous emperor. There is plenty of nudity and suggestive dialogue to spice up what is otherwise a routine script with little imagination. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

This erotic horror film is set in a dark medieval castle where the lusty Queen of France deflowers virgins, drains the life from them, hacks them up and tosses them in a huge tower. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide