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ALLOTRIA (Hokum) (1936) * with switchable English subtitles *

Renate Müller, Jenny Jugo and Anton Walbrook, Heinz Rühmann, Willi Forst

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Two friends, who end up in turmoil and amorous troubles thanks to promises, secrets and outright confusion. Although the plantation owner Philipp and his best friend, the race car driver David, have given their word never to fall in love with the same woman, this seems to be exactly what has happened. Instead of taking care of his girlfriend Amy, Philipp took an ocean cruise and promptly fell in love with Viola, but then renounced claiming her when he had the chance. Visiting his old friend, he mistakingly believes David has married Viola; and although David wants to tell him the truth that Gaby is his wife, it takes a long while for the truth to come out ... with the result that revenge soon takes the place of confusion.

Watching Willi Forst's wonderful, screwball comedy - released at the time of the Berlin Olympics in 1936 - it's almost possible to imagine a 1930s Germany, in which Nazism never happened. This is an elegant, fast-paced film drawing on some of the classiest comedy talent Germany had to offer at the time; and self-consciously modern, with its cocktails, ocean liners, racing car drivers and drop-dead art deco interiors. Anton Walbrook is suitably Errol Flynn-like as the handsome lady killer Phillip, while Heinz Ruehmann is, for once, overshadowed by his co-stars. It's the women who steal the show here, including the excellent Renate Mueller, who also starred in Viktor, Viktoria and habitually played modern, emancipated types. But the film belongs even more to Hilde Hildebrandt as the vampish Amy, who better than anyone else in this ensemble piece knows how to camp it up to the max when necessary.

Zwei Freunde geraten durch Versprechungen, Heimlichkeiten und Verwechslungen in Turbulenzen und amouröse Nöte: Obwohl sich der Plantagenbesitzer Philipp und sein bester Freund, der Rennfahrer David, das Ehrenwort gegeben haben, sich nie in dieselbe Frau zu verlieben, scheint nun doch die Katastrophe perfekt. Statt sich um seine Freundin Aimée zu kümmern, hat sich Philipp auf seinen Reisen in Viola verliebt, jedoch versäumt, klare Verhältnisse herzustellen. Bei einem Besuch bei seinem alten Freund entsteht der Eindruck, Davids neue Verlobte sei niemand anderes als Viola. Und obschon David in Wahrheit die forsche Gaby heiraten will, dauert es noch, bis alles sich klärt – und bald zarte Rachegelüste an die Stelle der Verwirrung treten.

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN WITH SWITCHABLE ENGLISH SUBTITLES. Excellent digital quality. LENGTH OF FEATURE FILM: 96 mins

PLEASE NOTE THAT SWITCHABLE (SOFT) SUBTITLES WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLE BELOW. IF YOU SEE SUBTITLES, THEN THEY ARE HARD-ENCODED (meaning, they cannot be turned off when viewing the film):

Charming screwball comedy with multiple plot twists!, 4/20/2019 11:16 AM

From: nitrateera@gmail.com

Allotria is a catch-all German word which roughly translates as "Hokum." And there's hokum in abundance when lascivious lothario Philip (Adolf Wohlbruck, aka Anton Walbrook) falls into a marriage trap concocted by Gaby (Jenny Jugo) and Viola (Renate Muller). Knowing that Philip prefers the sexual company of married women, Gaby and Viola exchange identities, much to the discomfort of Gaby's jealous husband David (Heinz Ruhmann). The misunderstandings multiply as the four protagonists attend the annual Monte Carlo motor race, then head off for a zany ocean voyage. On the basis of his past box-office track record, director Willi Forst was afforded a huge budget to complete Allotria, and the added expenditure was well worth it.

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