Johanna Sibelius Movies
- 1969
This film serves as a vehicle for the popular 11-year-old child singer Heintje. He plays an orphan who lives with his aunt, a woman dizzy with the prospects of a new romance. He spends his time with an older friend who has a horse, until the boy is sent to an orphanage. Heintje runs away to Switzerland, hitchhiking his way through the Alps to find his friend. He is put in danger when he accidentally discovers a ring of smugglers. When his older friend proposes marriage to his true love, the couple makes plans to adopt the young boy. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heinz Reincke, Gerlinde Locker, (more)
- 1969
This situation comedy begins when a Pentecostal family tries to go on vacation. Three young relatives are sent to visit, turning the household upside down. Grandfather (Werner Hinz) is the lovable curmudgeon who deals with the terrible trio, as the teenage boy gets in trouble in the neighborhood and his sister tempts the fidelity of her married uncle. The youngest is a precocious five-year-old girl (Irina von Bentheim) who constantly makes life difficult for her young cousin. This amusing story is taken from a novel by Eric Malpass. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Werner Hinz, Werner Bruhns, (more)
- 1969
This lighthearted comedy finds a grandfather (Werner Hinz) trying to cope with his family at his country home. His elderly sister is hard of hearing and his marriageable daughters wish to tie the knot before they become spinsters. Grandfather is a kind but not outwardly affectionate soul who also deals with his six-year-old nephew Gaylord Archibald Ester). The young boy gets into trouble with the neighbor boys and is accused of stealing. The family quarrels but always comes to each others' aid when the chips are down in this family-oriented feature taken from the best-selling novel by Eric Malpass. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gerlinde Locker
- 1968
A group of children play a game on their island home of Ruegen in the Baltic Sea. They revise an ancient heathen ritual one cold March day by standing in the frigid water. The one who lasts the longest in the icy cold will be referred to as the king of Kummerow. They befriend a poor shepherd who is something of a social outcast, and the group makes fun of a pompous preacher and the mean, miserly miller who tries to drive their shepherd friend out of town. The children rejoice when their nemesis the miller is hauled off to jail to pay for his past crimes in this engaging, heartwarming story. West German producer Walter Koppel used an East German crew, taking advantage of a recently developed color process called Orwocolor. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Dahlke, Ralf Wolter, (more)
- 1968
Alice (Danielle Darrieux), a widowed Frenchwoman, goes on a vacation to Italy. Upon her return, she relates the particulars of her holiday. Within a 24-hour time frame, Alice gets on the wrong boat, winds up in Switzerland where she whiles away the hours at a casino, meets a handsome young German army deserter named Thomas (Robert Hoffman), spends the night with her new acquaintance, pays his sizeable gambling debts, and helps him elude the authorities. When they part, Thomas promises Alice that he'll give up gambling, but as the 24 hours draw to a close, Alice is heartbroken to discover that she's misjudged the insensitive Thomas. This melancholy fable was based on a short story by Stefan Zweig. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danielle Darrieux, Robert Hoffman, (more)
- 1966
Nineteen-year-old Liselotte Von Der Pfalz (Heidelinde Weis) falls for France's King Louis XIV (Hans Caninenberg) in this biographical costume drama. She marries the King's brother the Duke Of Orleans (Harald Leipnotz), which is a loveless union of political convenience. After Liselotte catches the eye of Louis, the Duke suddenly is passionate in his desire for her. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heidelinde Weis, Harald Leipnitz, (more)
- 1966
In this frilly-costumed comedy, Baron Halbach (Martin Held) and his daughter Dodo (Senta Berger) move freely among the wealthy social elite, stealing jewels. When Dodo falls for the handsome London lawyer Robert (Joachim Fuchsberger), the Baron tries to stop the budding romance. Later, Dodo is caught trying to pull off one last caper before she marries, but Robert successfully wins her case in court. Watch for James Robertson Justice as Robert's father Sir Hammond in this lavish production. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Senta Berger, Martin Held, (more)
- 1964
Frontier Hellcat was the fourth in a series of 1960s European westerns based on Karl May's "Winnetou" character. Stewart Granger takes over from Lex Barker in the leading "Anglo"-role of the mysterious maverick who wanders from town to town doing the "Lone Ranger" bit. The hellcat of the title is Elke Sommer, a tempestuous frontierswoman who reluctantly accepts Granger's help in attaining safe passage through the Rocky Mountains ("played" in this film by the Alps). The original title of Frontier Hellcat was Unter Geiern; the production was a cooperative effort, with contributions from West Germany, France, Italy, and Yugoslavia. Stewart Granger would star in the "Winnetou" saga again in Rampage at Apache Wells and ld Surehand. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stewart Granger, Pierre Brice, (more)
- 1963
In this French drama, set upon the Riviera, a widow works a jewel thief on the side. She keeps this up until she meets a handsome gent. She soon cleans up her act. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1962
This light comedy concerns psychiatrist Lilli Koenig (Maria Schell). Her practice revolves around idle, wealthy women with too much time on their hands who imagine they are suffering from a bevy of complexes. She catches the eye of fashion-photographer Martin Bohlen (Paul Hubschmidt), who longs to zoom in on her with more than just his camera lens. In the darkroom of his lovestruck mind, he develops a scheme to get near the doctor by pretending to suffer from a variety of ailments. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Schell, Paul Hubschmid, (more)
- 1959
An unexceptional drama of the exceptional George Bernard Shaw's story of a conflict of morals, Frau Warren's Gewerbe stars Lilli Palmer in the role of Mrs. Kitty Warren and Johanna Matz as her daughter Vivie. The mathematically talented and well-educated Vivie owes her accomplishments to her absentee mother who has paid all the bills in her upbringing. When they meet at last in a country home, Vivie is shocked to discover that her mother not only gained her lucre through prostitution but is still a partner with Sir George Crofts (O.E. Hasse) in the management of several brothels around Europe. That shock is soon followed by another when Vivie finds out the truth about the parentage of her boyfriend Frank. This is all heavy going for the turn of the 20th century when certain topics were still taboo. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- 1959
This Oscar-nominated satire is an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's comedy Arms and the Man. Commenting sharply upon the pitfalls of nationalism and war, it follows the exploits of a frightened, AWOL soldier who ends up hiding beneath a pretty Bulgarian woman's bed.While her gung-ho fiancé is out fighting the Serbs, the soldier and the woman engage in a witty dialogue about the absurdity of war. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- O.W. Fischer, Ellen Schwiers, (more)
In this German-language romantic drama, Elisabeth (Maria Schell) tries to make it to her husband's (O.W. Fischer) performance of Beethoven pieces, but arrives late, only to walk in on the solo violinist, Michael (Philip Dorn). She immediately falls in love, and Michael returns the feeling when he later meets Elisabeth face-to-face. Soon, Elisabeth must make a tough decision in a love triangle in which she is the only aware party. ~ Jonathan Frey, All Movie Guide
- 1953
Brieftrager Mueller translates as Mailman Mueller; no matter what the language, the title character is essayed by Heinz Ruehmann. Resigned to an uneventful existence, mailman Mueller undergoes quite a few changes when he suddenly comes into possession of untold wealth. At base, however, he's still the same plodding, accident-prone fellow he was at the beginning of the film. Most of the picture is devoted to the slapstick consequences of unexpected riches, with clever dialogue used sparingly. Brieftrager Mueller represented the 5th anniversary celebration of the successful German film firm of Bersolina. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heli Finkenzeller, Susanne Von Almassy, (more)
