Recent Arrivals

 


 

ALONE AGAINST ROME  (solo contro Roma)  (1962)

 

A Roman consul, on his way to fight a border war, stations a garrison of soldiers in a provincial town. The townspeople aren't happy with the situation, but decide it's in their best interest to cooperate. However, the tribune left in charge of the garrison proves to be cruel and demanding. He takes over a house for his own use and forces his attentions on Fabiola, the owner's daughter. She reluctantly submits, in order to protect the life of her lover, Brenno, who's already been publicly whipped and who's been hauled off to the local arena to provide sport for Roman gladiators. Soon, Brenno and Fabiola's brother are organizing a resistance, which will put an end to the tribune's reign of tyranny.

 

 

 

THE RED POPPY  (1955)

 

The ballet takes place at a seaport in 1920s-era Kuomintang China. Ships carrying sailors from many lands, including the Soviet Union, are docked AT a Chinese seaport. The Captain of the Soviet Ship notices a group of half-starved, overworked coolies being brutally driven to work by the cruel harbormaster. One night, while dancing for the sailors aboard the ship, beautiful Taï-Choa notices the Soviet Captain trying to rescue the poor Coolies from theIr taskmaster. Impressed by the captain's act of kindness, she gives him a red poppy as a symbol of her love. When Taï-Choa's fiancée, the adventurer Li-Chan-Fou, learns of this, he becomes jealous and orders her to kill the captain. She refuses and is later killed when a riot breaks out on the dock — thus sacrificing her life for the captain. As she dies, she gives another red poppy flower to a young Chinese girl as a sign of love and freedom.

 

Die Handlung spielt in einer großen chinesischen Hafenstadt in den zwanziger Jahren. Ein sowjetisches Schiff ist vor Anker gegangen. Der Kapitän bemerkt eine Gruppe von halbverhungerten, überarbeiteten Kulis, die von dem Hafenmeister brutal zur Arbeit angetrieben werden. Des Nachts, als sie für die Seeleute an Bord des Schiffes tanzt, bemerkt die schöne Tao-Choa, dass der Kapitän versucht, die armen Kulis vor dem Hafenkommandanten in Schutz zu nehmen. Beeindruckt durch die Tat des Kapitäns, schenkt sie ihm eine rote Mohnblume als Zeichen ihrer Liebe. Als Tao-Choas Arbeitgeber Li-Schanfu davon hört, wird er eifersüchtig und verlangt, sie solle den Kapitän töten. Sie lehnt ab. Li-Schanfu, rasend vor Zorn und Eifersucht, ersticht das Mädchen. Sterbend reicht sie Kindern roten Mohn als Zeichen von Liebe und Freiheit.

 

 

 

SIEBEN SOMMERSPROSSEN  (1978)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

14 year old Karoline and 15 year old Robbi have known one another since childhood. After many years, they find themselves together at a Summer camp. There, they develop a romantic affair, but both of them have a hard time showing their feelings for one another. It doesn't help that there's a strict regimen to follow at the camp as well. They seek a place to be alone and are confronted with a lack of sympathy. Only the group leader Benedikt tries to develop their feelings and shows an understanding of their dilemma. He manages to get them interested in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and suggests their being involved in the camp's production of the drama. However, the camp's leading counselor, Mrs. Kraenkel is against the play being performed (though she loses out in the end). In their struggles to master the classic, Karoline and Robbie start to understand their feelings towards one another a little better.

 

Die 14-jährige Karoline und der 15-jährige Robbi kennen sich von Kindesbeinen an. Nach vielen Jahren begegnen sie sich in einem Sommerferienlager wieder. Es entsteht eine zarte Liebesbeziehung, doch den beiden Jugendlichen fällt es schwer, sich die Gefühle gegenseitig einzugestehen. Auch der stark reglementierte Tagesablauf im Ferienlager setzt ihnen Grenzen. Sie suchen sich Freiräume und stoßen damit auf Unverständnis. Lediglich der Lehramtsstudent und Gruppenbetreuer Benedikt versucht, den Jugendlichen Vertrauen entgegenzubringen und zeigt Verständnis. Er begeistert sie für Shakespeares Drama „Romeo und Julia“ und schlägt vor, das Stück zur Abschlussfeier einzustudieren. Die strenge Lagerleiterin Frau Kränkel ist zwar strikt dagegen, kann sich aber nicht durchsetzen und so können die Theaterproben beginnen. Durch die Auseinandersetzung mit dem klassischen Stoff, lernen Karoline und Robbie ihre Gefühle füreinander besser verstehen. 

 

 

 

THE PERFUME OF THE LADY IN BLACK  (1931) * with switchable English subtitles *

  A novel by Gaston Leroux (of Phantom of the Opera fame) is the source for Parfum de la Dame en Noir. The story takes place on the Riviera, where the title character may or may not be involved in various shades of skullduggery, including murder. The film's highlight involves a coffin containing the body of a man who committed suicide -- or, did he? Huguette Duflos played the title character, while the comedy relief was in the capable hands of Belieres. In emulation of the 1928 American film The Terror, the opening credits are not printed on screen, but instead spoken by a mysterious "ghost" voice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE STUDENT’S ROMANCE  (1935)

 

Max Brandt is a poor student at Heidelberg University. He meets and falls in love with Princess Helene, who is traveling incognito; and she falls for him as well. However, she's engaged to a prince who's so poor, a friendly barmaid at a gasthaus, who admires his songwriting abilities, pays his bills. The prince is a proud one, however, and it annoys him to no end that a woman is paying his way. His friend Karl Reuter has also been finding ways to pay his debts -- another sore point for the prince -- and this has led to him courting the barmaid, which provides a subplot to the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 FILM DVD:  DANGEROUS TO KNOW  (1938)  +  DOCTORS’ WIVES  (1931)

 

DANGEROUS TO KNOW  (1938):

Racketeer Steve Recka, art patron and political power-maker, rules his town and Madame Lan Ying, his beautiful Oriental friend and hostess (read: mistress), with an iron hand. He meets Margaret Van Kase, a socialite not impressed by his power nor his wealth, having no money herself, and Steve makes frantic efforts to win her and turns away from the loyal Lin Yang. Margaret ignores him as she plans to wed Philip Easton, a penniless bond salesman. The furious Recka, poses as a friend to Easton, while planning to ruin him. His henchmen kidnap Easton when he is carrying a large assignment of bonds, and he is branded as a runaway thief. The only doubters are Margaret and Police Inspector Brandon, who knows Recka's methods and suspects foul play. Easton is found in an abandoned house and arrested as the gangsters have taken the bonds and tipped the police where to find him. Recka offers to clear Easton if Margaret will become his bride and, while her hatred for Recka is intense, her love

DOCTORS' WIVES  (1931):

A handsome doctor's wife feels neglected and alone until a glamorous cancer researcher promises to bring passion and meaning back into her life.

 

 

 

 

2 FILM DVD:  THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY  (1936)  +  THE ADMIRAL’S SECRET  (1934

 

THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY  (1936):

Neil Du Beck, receives his sixth death threat note on the last day of the picture's filming. Neil attends the preview with his co-star Claire Woodward, who is also married to their director, E. Gordon Smith. When the film ends, Claire discovers that Neil is dead in his seat, and it is later revealed that he died of poisoning. During the filming of another picture starring Claire, an actor shoots at her with a gun supposedly filled with blanks. Fortunately his aim is off, for the gun is actually loaded with real bullets. In the box of blanks, Detective McKane discovers another death threat note. McKane has the entire studio closed, allowing no one in or out until he catches the murderer. Meanwhile, Johnny Morgan, head of publicity, tries to figure out who the murderer is with his secretary, Peggy Madison, an astrology buff to whom he constantly proposes. 

 

THE ADMIRAL'S SECRET  (1934):

A retired naval officer has acquired a valuable relic by force. He is pursued to his retirement cotttage by two groups of Spaniards. The film revolves around their attempts to reclaim the relic and his to resist them. There is also a curse of death attached to the relic, so our Navy fellow thinks he's doing everyone a favor by keeping it out of circulation, notwithstanding the fact that he reckons it's worth about half a million pounds.

 

 

 

 

 

2 FILM DVD: THE TIGER'S COAT (1920) + THE PHANTOM OF THE MOULIN ROUGE (1925)

 

THE TIGER'S COAT  (1920):

A man agrees to marry the daughter of a deceased friend - who is, in fact, being impersonated by the servant girl of the daughter, who has also already died.

 

THE PHANTOM OF THE MOULIN ROUGE  (1925):

Julien Boissel wishes to marry Yvonne. Her father Victor is blackmailed by newspaper manager Gauthier who threatens to release compromising papers from when Victor was a minister if he does not get Yvonne's hand in marriage. Victor asks Julien to stop courting Yvonne and the young man accepts an invitation from his cousin Jacqueline to drown his sorrow at the Moulin Rouge where he meets a strange doctor who offers to hypnotize his troubles away. A young reporter working for Gauthier investigating the strange things lately happening in Paris finds the mysterious doctor. 

 

 

 

A HEN IN THE WIND  (1948)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

A sensitive and powerful examination of the moral compromises made during World War II and the toll they took on families. A woman is forced into prostitution to care for her sick child and is unable to keep her secret, when her husband returns from the front. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE RED SNOWBALL TREE  (1974)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

After leaving a penal colony, thief recidivist Yegor Prokudin, nicknamed "Gore", decides to go to the village where blue-eyed Lyuba lives, with whom he corresponded while incarcerated; after all, he needs to wait a bit and look around. But life in the village destroys all of Yegor's plans and he decides to forever break with his past. Now he has friends, work, and a beloved woman. However, criminals, former friends of Yegor, are not going to put up with his new lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGE OF INDISCRETION  (1935)

 

A book publisher finds his business floundering, which prompts his socially ambitious wife to desert him for a society millionaire; leaving him with their young son. The publisher's fortunes improve dramatically, however, when a best-selling romance novelist decides to publish her new book with his firm. In the meantime, his ex-wife has married the millionaire, and she and her new mother-in-law come up with a plan to sue her ex-husband for custody of the boy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS  (1966)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

In a small town still occupied by the Germans as the tide of the Second World War is turning toward the Allies, apprentice train-watcher Milos is oblivious to the worldwide conflagration. Instead, he is obsessed with having his first sexual experience. Despite the favors of train conductor Masa, Milos has no luck. His quest leads him to a female Resistance fighter who, in passing, recruits him to the cause. As Milos finally finds love, danger draws closer.

 

 

 

 

 

I MARRIED A SPY  (1937)  * IMPROVED VIDEO *

 

Originally released in Great Britain in 1937 as Secret Lives, this WWI melodrama tells the story of a German woman forced into a marriage of convenience with French lieutenant Pierre de Montmalion.  If she hopes to avoid being deported from her new home in Switzerland, she'll have to work as a spy for the French against her countrymen back in Germany.  If that weren't enough, Lieutenant de Montmalion, her alleged husband, hates her guts and has no problem telling her so.  In the end, however, the two fall in love.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE RETURN OF THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL  (1937)

Sir Percy Blakeney (in the guise of the masked Scarlet Pimpernel), an Englishman, who with the aid of a band of his friends, is engaged in spiriting French aristocrats across the English Channel to escape the guillotine. Robespierre, the ruthless revolutionary, informs the chief of the police he must capture the Scarlet Pimpernel or lose his own head to the blade. Blakeley's wife is abducted and taken to France, forcing him to follow in a rescue attempt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A MOTHER NEVER DIES  (1942)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Sadayo loses his job, forcing him and his family to move to a poor neighborhood. While he resolutely works his way back into respectability, his wife grows ill. To avoid being a burden, she kills herself, leaving a note urging her husband to make the boy into a great man, a good Japanese man. As Irie doggedly advances, he grows more humble; the son, however, forgets his mother's message, even as he remembers her love, and grows to have a sense of entitlement. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CALTIKI – THE IMMORTAL MONSTER  (1959)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Archaeologists investigating some Mayan ruins come across a blob-like monster. They manage to destroy it with fire, but keep a sample. Meanwhile, a comet is due to pass close to the Earth - the same comet passed near the Earth at the time the Mayan civilization mysteriously collapsed. Coincidence? Watch and find out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FAREWELLS (Pozegnania)  (1958)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Pawel and Lidka are from different worlds, but they somehow meet each other in a night club during wartime. He's a young lad from a wealthy family; she's an attractive dancer. They fall in love and go out of town, but their happiness doesn't last long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE EMIGRANT  (Al Mohager)  (1994)  * with hard-encoded English subtitles *

 

The biblical tale of Joseph is told from an Egyptian perspective in this interesting character study. In this film, Joseph is called Ram. Ram, tired of his family's backward superstitious life, and tired of being picked on by his brothers, wants to go to Egypt to study agriculture. His brothers travel with him across Sinai, but then suddenly sell him to Ozir, an Egyptian who works for a Theban military leader, Amihar. Amihar is impressed by Ram's drive and personal charm and so grants Ram some desolate land outside the capital. Ram soon finds himself a pawn in the political and sexual games between Amihar and his wife Simihit, a high priestess of the Cult of Amun.

 

 

 

 

 FUNF GLUCKSPILZE  (1963)

Fate causes turbulence and misunderstandings in five episodes, starting with a maid, who unexpectedly wins a mink (for the moment), to the winner of a yacht and his subsequent love-cruise.

 

In fünf Episoden bewirkt Fortuna Turbulenzen und Irrungen: Angefangen bei einem Dienstmädchen, das unverhofft aber folgenreich einen Nerz gewinnt, bis hin zum Gewinner einer Jacht und dessen anschließender amouröser Kreuzfahrt.

 

 

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PUEBLERINA  (1949)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Aurelio returns to his village after serving a jail term for avenging the rape of his beloved, Paloma, at the hands of Julio Gonzalez. Upon arrival, he discovers that his mother has since died and that Paloma lives in exile with her son, the result of the crime against her. Nevertheless, Aurelio wants to marry Paloma and forget the past, but evil Julio and his brother Ramiro have no intention of leaving the couple in peace. 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

TWO FILM DVD:  THE YELLOW TICKET  (1928)  +  BIM  (1951)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

THE YELLOW TICKET  (1928):

Jacob, a farmer, returns from the war to his wife Marie and begs the landlord for a plot of land to rent. The landlord grants the request, but only for a barren, rocky, useless acreage. The pair struggle to make do on this land, but then the landlord demands Maria leave her husband to serve as a wet nurse to his married daughter Anya's new baby, on threat of eviction. While nursing the daughter's baby, Maria receives unwelcome attentions from the daughter's husband and a scandal erupts, ruining Maria in her husband's eyes. When she escapes from her employers and seeks to return home, the police give her a yellow passport signifying a prostitute, further degrading her. She approaches home, unsure of the reception that awaits her. 

 

BIM  (1951):

An Arab boy, Abdullah, loves his donkey, Bim, but another boy, Massoud, who also happens to be a prince, is jealous of Abdullah and his relationship with Bim. Massoud steals the donkey and plays mean tricks on him, such as painting him and trying to cut his ears off. Abdullah tries to rescue Bim, but is caught by palace guards and imprisoned. Realizing Abdullah's love for his donkey, Massoud becomes ashamed of his meanness and frees Bim and Abdullah. However, the donkey eats Massoud's father's lunch and is taken to a butcher. Abdullah and Massoud try to rescue Bim from the butcher, but robbers get there first and steal the donkey along with the butcher's goods. The robbers escape to the sea, and Abdullah and Massoud stage one last rescue attempt with all of their friends to try to save Bim.

 

 


  

TOP SHELF

 

You may have missed these titles

 


 

ZWISCHEN HIMMEL UND ERDE  (1942)

 

Xanten am Rhein, 1870/71. Dachdeckermeister Rottwinkel hat zwei Söhne. Sein Liebling ist Mathias, den er Lonius, einem stillen, in sich gekehrten Mann vorzieht. Schüchtern verehrt Lonius Christine, in die auch sein Bruder verliebt ist. Aus diesem Grund schickt der Vater Lonius aus dem Haus, in den deutsch-französischen Krieg, in dem sich der Zurückhaltende zu einem mutigen und starken Mann entwickelt. Hoch dekoriert kehrt er nach Hause zurück. Sein Bruder Mathias und Christine führen eine unglückliche Ehe. Mathias rutscht immer mehr ab und wird schließlich zum Betrüger. Da Lonius Christine noch immer liebt, will er das Geschäft des Vaters vor dem Ruin retten und lehnt sich gegen den Bruder auf, der nun bis zum Äußersten geht.

 

Xanten am Rhein, 1870/1871.  Roffer Rottwinkel has two sons.  His favorite is Mathias, whom he prefers to Lonius, a quiet and introspective man.  Lonius, for his part, is shyly revering Christine ... and his brother's in love with her, too.  For this reason, the father sends Lonius away, to fight in the Franco-Prussian War, which turns the introverted boy into a brave and strong man.  Highly decorated, he returns home.  In the meantime, his brother Mathias and Christine are unhappily married.  Mathias is slipping more and more and finally becomes a con man.  As Lonius is still very much in love with Christine, he wishes to save his father's business from ruin and rebels against his brother, who now goes to extremes.

 

 

 

HITLER'S CHILDREN  (1943)  * with switchable English and Spanish audio tracks *

 

This modestly produced film version of Gregor Ziemmer's book Education for Death surprised everyone at RKO --and in the film industry-- by becoming one the biggest hits of 1943. The "children" invoked in the title are borne on behalf of Adolf Hitler; according to the film, it is standard operating procedure in Nazi Germany for young girls to willingly submit to being impregnated by Aryan men (with or without the benefit of clergy) in order to sustain the "Master Race." Those who refuse are ticketed for sterilization, or worse. One of the holdouts is Bonita Granville, a German girl raised and educated in America whose taste of democracy has made her utterly resistant to Nazism. In the film's key scene, the near-naked Bonita is publicly flogged for her defiance, whereupon Bonita's lover, "good Nazi" Tim Holt, suddenly has an awakening of conscience and stops the whipping. This act of courage results in the executions of both Holt and Granville, but they willingly go to their deaths rather than accede to Hitler's demands. It is true enough that many people flocked to see Hitler's Children because of the sensational, censor-provoking aspects of the film; but an equal numbers of filmgoers and critics also recognized the above-average artistic contributions of director Edward Dmytryk and scriptwriter Emmet Lavery (both of whom received substantial cash bonuses for their work on this film). Hitler's Children was the second biggest moneymaker of RKO's 1943-44 season, only slightly behind the Cary Grant vehicle Mr. Lucky.

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0003/0003560-hitlers-madman-1943.jpgHITLER'S MADMAN  (1943)  

 

Hollywood version of the events surrounding the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Bohemia in June 1942.  Shooting was begun on the film very shortly after his assassination and the film eventually became a cult classic then and now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0001/0001781-musik-im-blut-1934.jpgMUSIK IM BLUT  (1934)

 

Die Liebesgeschichte einer Cellistin, Tochter eines berühmten Kapellmeisters, und des Meisterschülers der Dirigentenklasse am Dresdner Konservatorium, der mit ihrer Cousine, ebenfalls Meisterschülerin, befreundet war. Erst das energische Eingreifen des Vaters löst die Konflikte und Verwirrungen. Die musikalische Untermalung gibt den Liebesproblemen eine zerbrechlich-verinnerlichte Note.

 

This is the love story of a cellist, the daughter of a famous conductor, and a conductor-student at the conservatory in Dresden.  Only the energetic intervention of her father is able to remove all the conflicts and confusions of this love affair.

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0002/0002040-der-lachdoktor-1937.jpgDER LACHDOKTOR  (1937)

 

Das Gebirgsdorf Wilderbach hat ein Kurschloss mit eigener Quelle. Dort lebt der Landarzt Dr. Martin Kugler, dem es gelungen ist, fast alle Krankheiten im Bereich seines Dorfes auszumerzen. Doch da entdeckt Dr. Magius, der Kugler beneidet, auf seinem Grundstück eine heilbringende Quelle, die er mit seinem geschäftstüchtigen Freund Neidinger so geschickt vermarktet, dass Dr. Kuglers Praxis in ihrer Existenz gefährdet wird. Doch Dr. Kugler entlarvt den Spuk und stellt sich öffentlich dagegen. Da kommt ihm plötzlich die neue Medizinerin Lore Lenze in die Quere, die ihn, den "Lachdoktor", zuerst als Scharlatan entlarven will, aber bald vom Gegenteil überzeugt ist. Sie verliebt sich in ihn.

 

Because the soulful county doctor in a small spa town in the mountains has interfered with the business of selling "healing waters", he incurs the enmity of the local shopkeepers. And for that reason, his candidacy for the post of District Medical Officer is thwarted.

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0003/0003389-abenteuer-im-engadin-1932.jpgABENTEUER IM ENGADIN  (1932)

 

Hella hat Zoff mit ihrem Verlobten Harry. Weil der sich nur für den Wintersport interessiert, vernachlässigt er Hella. Die Verlobung wird gelöst, doch Hella will nicht so schnell aufgeben. Sie beschließt, sich zur Sportskanone ummodeln zu lassen. Mit Hilfe der beiden spaßigen Fiedjes aus Hamburg wird sie so gut, daß sie an den örtlichen Meisterschaften teilnehmen will.

 

Hella is having trouble with her fiancee Harry.  Because he has more of the hots for winter sports than for Hella, she feels neglected.  The engagement is ended, but Hella doesn't want to give up on him quite that easily.  Her remedy?  To remold herself into a sportswoman, so Harry will take notice of her.  With the help of two ski bums from Hamburg, she gets so good, she's able to enter a masters' tournament.

 

 

 

 

DIE HERRIN VON ATLANTIS  (1932)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

In Afrika erzählt der französische Kolonialoffizier Saint-Avit einem jungen Leutnant von seinem zurückliegenden Abenteuer in der sagenhaften Stadt Atlantis, die unter dem Wüstensand begraben liegen soll: Vor zwei Jahren sind er und sein Freund Morhange dorthin verschleppt worden.

 

In Africa, a French colonial officer, Saint-Avit, tells a young lieutenant about his past adventures in the fabled city of Atlantis, which is supposedly buried in the sands of the Sahara.  Two years before, he and his friend Morhange were abducted and brought there.

 

 

 

 

 

F.P. 1 ANTWORTET NICHT  (1932)  * with switchable English subtitles *  

 

Kapitänleutnant Droste möchte eine Flugplattform mitten im Ozean errichten, um den Piloten der Interkontinentalflüge eine Landebahn zum Auftanken und für Reparaturen an ihren Flugzeugen zu bieten. Mit Hilfe des Piloten Ellissen gelingt es ihm, die Leitung der Lennartz-Werke für sein Projekt zu gewinnen. Ellissen, der mit Claire Lennartz, einer Schwester der Eigentümer, angebandelt hat, scheut vor einer Heirat zurück und sucht ein neues Abenteuer. Währenddessen wird die Plattform unter der Leitung Drostes gebaut.  Nach zwei Jahren ist eine Stadt auf dem Ozean entstanden mit einem Flugplatz, Hangars, Hotels und Einkaufszentren. Während eines Unwetters reißt die Verbindung zur Flugplattform ab. Das Letzte, was über das Telefon zu hören war, waren Schüsse und Schreie. Das Unwetter hält an, und es braucht den besten Piloten, um F.P. 1 anzufliegen. Ellissen, der mittlerweile durch Liebeskummer deprimiert ist, lässt sich von Claire überreden, mit ihr zur Plattform zu fliegen.

 

Lieutenant Droste wants to build an air station in the middle of the ocean to allow pilots on intercontinental flights to refuel and repair any damage to their aircraft. With the help of the pilot Ellissen, he manages to win the support of the Lennartz-Werke for the project. Ellissen, who has taken up with the owner's sister Claire Lennartz, shies away from marriage and seeks new adventure.  After two years, the platform has become a city on the ocean, with runways, hangars, hotels, and shopping centers.  During a storm, the connection to the platform is severed.  The last sounds to come over the telephone were gunshots and screams.  The weather clears and the best pilots immediately head for F.P.1.  Ellissen, in a lovesick depression, is convinced by Claire to fly her to the platform.

 

 

 

ABENTEUER AM LIDO  (1933)

 

Es ist dies der erste Spielfilm mit dem Publikumsliebling der Wiener Staatsoper, dem aus England stammenden Tenor Alfred Piccaver.  Im Unterschied zu den zahllosen Sängerfilmen davor, konnte dieser mit einer guten Pointe aufwarten: »entdeckt« wird ein bereits erfolgreicher Sänger, der sich ins Privatleben zurückgezogen hatte. Der zum Klischee gewordene Aufstieg eines unbekannten Sängers zum Star war gleichfalls zum Ärgernis der Rezensenten geworden.

 

This was the first film made with the darling of the Vienna State Opera:  Tenor Alfred Piccaver from England.  In contrast to the countless "singer films" made before this, this one had something original about it:  the already successful singer is "discovered" after he already retired into private life.  This was something different from the usual cliche-formular of an unknown singer rising to become a star, which, by then, had already started annoying the critics.

 

 

 

DAS HASSLICHE MADCHEN  (1933)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

In der Buchhaltung einer Versicherungsgesellschaft wird eine neue Sekretärin gesucht. Um die ewigen Liebeleien unter Angestellten zu unterbinden, sucht der Personalchef nach einem möglichst hässlichen Mädchen und glaubt es in der unscheinbaren Lotte gefunden zu haben. Aber der junge Buchhalter Fritz will sich so eine Behandlung nicht gefallen lassen. Nur um zu zeigen, dass es mit der "Hässlichen" nicht anders zugeht als sonst auch, macht er Lotte den Hof. Daraufhin wird Lotte entlassen. Fritz bekommt nun doch ein schlechtes Gewissen und legt beim Direktor ein gutes Wort für sie ein. Und nach einigen Verwicklungen verliebt er sich tatsächlich in sie.

 

The accounting department of an insurance company is looking for a new secretary.  To prevent a repeat of the eternal love affairs between the employees, the head of personnel -- no doubt taking advantage of the not-yet-existent anti-discrimination laws -- is seeking the ugliest troll of a woman he can find to do the office typing.  And he believes he's found her in the nondescript Lotte.  But the bookkeeper Fritz is deeply offended by such mean, discriminatory practices.  He decides he's going to correct the boss' disgusting behaviour by going one better:  to prove that even ugly people deserve to reproduce, he's going to hit up on Lotte.  But the joke's on him, because the boss deals with the two offensive discriminatory practices by committing a third one:  he fires the ugly woman.  Fritz feels so guilty for getting her fired --- but not for playing with her heart to prove a point -- that he puts in a good word for her with the director  (for what?  To become top dog in the company kennel?!?).  And after some complications  --- getting a dog license? --- he promptly falls in love with her. Moral of the story?  That true love is based on what one has inside and not how one looks on the exterior ... a rather ironic lesson lost on the powers that be in Germany at the time.

 

 

 

 

EIN UNSICHTBARER GEHT DURCH DIE STADT  (1933)

 

Taxichauffeur Harry findet in einem Koffer, den ein mysteriöser Fahrgast vergessen hat, einen Apparat, mit dem er sich unsichtbar machen kann. Und schon gibt es Verwicklungen, die Harry die Kontrolle verlieren lassen. Denn Harrys Freund Fritz beginnt, durch den Apparat unsichtbar gemacht, Banküberfälle zu verüben.

 

Taxi driver Harry finds a device that can make one invisible in a suitcase left behind by a mysterious customer.   Soon, things start happening, which Harry isn't able to control; for Harry's friend Fritz starts using the contraption to make himself invisible so he can rob banks.

 

 

 

 

WALZERKRIEG  (1933)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Der "Königliche Hofballmusikdirektor" Großbritanniens ist auf dem Weg nach Wien. Er hat eine wahrlich nicht leichte Aufgabe vor sich: Er soll die "beste Walzerkapelle Wiens mit dem schlagfertigsten Walzerkomponisten und Dirigenten" an den Hof seiner Majestät nach London bringen. Damit ihm die Suche etwas leichter fällt, hat man ihm Ilonka zu Seite gestellt, ihres Zeichens ein ehemaliges ungarisches "Pusztamädel", der Stern des k.u.k.-Balletts in Wien. In Wien angekommen, sieht sich Sir Philips einem zusätzlichen Problem gegenüber. In der von ihm auserkorenen Kapelle geht es nämlich drunter und drüber: Der Pauker Gustl liebt die Tochter des Kapellmeisters Lanner, verpasst deshalb immer seine Einsätze und wird gefeuert.

 

The royal court musical director of Great Britain is on his way to Vienna.  He has a rather difficult mission to carry out:  He is to locate the best waltz band with the best waltz composer and director and bring them back with him to His Majesty in London.  So that he might accomplish his mission more easily, Ilonka has been placed at his disposal, a former "puszta girl", who became a star in the imperial ballet in Vienna.  Arriving in Vienna, Sir Philips is faced with yet another problem:  the band he has chosen is a real mess of high drama:  The timpanist Gustl is in love with the daughter of the bandmaster Lanner; always misses his entrances because of it and is eventually fired.

 

 

 

MAZURKA  (1935)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Wendungsreiches Melodram um die Leidensgeschichte der Sängerin Vera, die wegen Mordes an dem Komponisten Michailow vor Gericht steht. Im Verlauf des Prozesses enthüllt die Angeklagte unter Ausschluss der Öffentlichkeit ihre persönliche Tragödie: Als junge Frau war Vera an der Warschauer Oper engagiert und spielte dort in Michailows "Mazurka". Zugunsten ihrer Heirat mit Rittmeister Boris Kierow beendete Vera ihre Karriere, doch bei einem Widersehen mit den alten Kollegen wird sie nach zuviel Alkoholgenuss bewusstlos und von Michailow vergewaltigt. Vera wird schwanger, und nach der Geburt bleibt das Kind, Lisa, beim Vater und dessen neuer Frau. Jahre später entdeckt Vera während einer Vorstellung Michailow, der gerade die ahnungslose Lisa verführt. Aus Angst, dass sich Michailow an seiner eigenen Tochter vergeht, erschießt Vera den Komponisten vor den Augen der Theaterbesucher. Nach ihrer Aussage erhält Vera ein mildes Urteil. Vor dem Gerichtssaal trifft sie Lisa, die nicht weiß, dass Vera ihre Mutter ist. Vera verabschiedet sich von ihrer Tochter, ohne ihr Geheimnis zu verraten.

 

MAZURKA tells the story of Lisa, a teen-age music conservatory student, stalked by famed concert pianist Grigorij Michailow.  After a contrived meeting, Michailow charms Lisa into sneaking out of her well-to-do home to tryst the following night.  He takes her to a sleazy dive, where world-weary tart Vera entertains riff-raff nightly with her warbling.  During her act, Vera spots Michailow kissing Lisa and she promptly faints.  She's carried to her dressing-room as the pianist and his intended prey make for the exit.  Vera grabs a gun and charges through the nightclub screaming out Michailow's true name  - and as he turns to look at her, she shoots him.  What follows is an involving courtroom melodrama where the story's shocking answer to "why" is revealed through flashbacks... Pola Negri, silent star of German UFA & Hollywood film, is extraordinary in her first German talkie.  She wrings every drop of pathos from a character who goes from a frivolous young operetta star to a jaded & degraded underworld "entertainer", who finds herself on trial for her life.  The reasons why Negri's Vera won't help with her own defense (and the sacrifice she makes) make this a real tearjerker.

 

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0000/0000220-robert-koch-der-bekampfer-des-todes-1939.jpgROBERT KOCH, DER BEKAMPFER DES TODES  (1939)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Landarzt Dr. Robert Koch ist verzweifelt: Eine Tuberkulose-Epidemie rafft die Kinder seines Bezirks dahin, ohne dass man etwas dagegen tun könnte. Jedes vierte Kind ist bereits erkrankt, hilflos müssen die Eltern zusehen, wie ihre Kleinen sterben ... Nun unternimmt Koch, der sich bereits seit Jahren damit beschäftigt, den Erreger der Tuberkulose zu finden, noch größere Anstrengungen, um der Ursache der Seuche auf die Spur zu kommen. Erschwert wird seine Arbeit durch Neider, wie etwa einen in seiner Ehre gekränkten Lehrer. Das größte Hindernis jedoch ist der berühmte Berliner Wissenschaftler und Reichstagsabgeordnete Geheimrat Rudolf Virchow: Er steht Kochs Theorie, dass ein Bazillus der Auslöser der Tuberkulose ist, äußerst skeptisch gegenüber.

 

Country Dr. Robert Koch is desperate:  a tuberculosis epidemic is decimating the children in his district and no one is able to do anything about it.  Every fourth child is already sick and the parents must helplessly watch as their young ones die.  Now Koch is undertaking to find the cause of the tuberculosis --- something he has already been working on for years --- which has been causing this plague of illness.  His work is made more difficult by envy; for example, that of his teacher, who was wounded defending his honor.  But his greatest obstacle is the famous Berliner scientist and Reichstag deputy, Privy Councilor Rudolf Virchow:  He is extraordinarily skeptical of Koch's theory, that the cause for tuberculosis is a bacteria.

 

 

 

VOLGA-VOLGA  (1938)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

The musical extravaganza about a provincial mail carrier, who rises to stardom thanks to her instant hit song about the Volga River.  It's a rags-to-riches story with the overly gregarious and cheerful letter carrier "Strelka" (Arrow) from the small town of Melkoretchensk unexpectedly being a very talented, amateur performer.  The local chief bureaucrat -- who looks and acts enough like Khrushchev to have made Stalin remark as much and laugh about it at every screening of the film -- has received a request to send local talent to the Moscow Artists' Olympiad; but in spite of ample evidence to the contrary, he's convinced the small town has no talent at all ... that is, until a local orchestra competing with Strelka's group convinces the bureaucrat to take the off-pitch band to Moscow and present it as being his own brainchild.  Undeterred, Strelka and her band race the competition to the capital ... only to find that the master hit she anonymously wrote is already known by everyone there!

 

Volga-Volga was Joseph Stalin's favorite film ever.  He and his cronies watched it in the Kremlin's private theatre while Stalin fought his famous chronic insomnia. In 1942, Stalin sent a copy of Volga-Volga to American president Franklin Roosevelt. A prime example of exhilarating Soviet propaganda, Volga-Volga has been under extensive critical scrutiny for its exaggerated and idealized representation of Soviet provincial life; but even so, the film still remains very entertaining and quite amusing.

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0002/0002590-das-andere-ich-1941.jpgDAS ANDERE ICH  (1941)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Die junge Wienerin Magdalena Menzel zieht nach Berlin, um sich dort eine Stelle als technische Zeichnerin zu suchen. Bei ihrem Bewerbungsgespräch in den Wuellner-Werken tritt sie jedoch so unsicher auf, sodass der Oberingenieur sie vertröstet und sie lediglich eine Stelle als Werkstattkontoristin beim Meister der Nachtschicht bekommt. Als der Oberingenieur es sich anders überlegt, nimmt Magdalena das Angebot an, ohne ihren Posten bei der Nachtschicht aufzugeben. Zweimal acht Stunden, so denkt sie, wird sie schon durchhalten, wenn sie die restlichen acht Stunden des Tages schlafen kann.

 

The young Viennese Magdalena Menzel moves to Berlin seeking a job as a technical illustrator.  During her interview at the Wuellner Works, however, she appears so uncertain of herself, that the head engineer is put off and will only offer her a position as a clerk on the night shift.  But after the head engineer reconsiders his offer, Magdalena agrees to work the day shift, but doesn't give up her night job; thus working 16 hours a day and figuring she can sleep during the remaining eight hours left to the day.

 

 

 

https://rarefilmsandmore.com/Media/Thumbs/0000/0000287-der-weg-ins-freie-1941.jpgDER WEG INS FREIE  (1941)  * improved film quality *

 

Mitte des 19. Jahrhunderts: Die italienische Sängerin Antonia Corvelli verdankt ihren Aufstieg dem Grafen Oginski. Als sie aber Detlev von Blossin kennen lernt, einen preußischen Offizier und Gutsbesitzer, heiratet sie ihn, möchte aber ihre Karriere trotzdem nicht aufgeben. Nun stellt ihr Mann sie vor die Wahl. Als er erfährt, dass sie längst einen neuen Vertrag für Wien unterschrieben hat, kehrt er enttäuscht alleine auf sein Gut zurück.

 

It’s the middle of the 19th Century:  The Italian singer Antonia Corvelli can thank her success to the attentions of Count Oginski.  But when she gets to know Detlev von Blossin, a Prussian officer and estate owner, she marries him; but doesn’t want to give up her career.  Now her husband makes her decide.  When he finds out, that she signed a contract to appear in Vienna long before, he returns disappointed to his estate alone.

 

 

 

 

LES VISITEURS DU SOIR  (1942)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

In May 1485 two of the devil's envoys, Gilles and Dominique, arrive at the castle of Baron Hugues on the night of a celebration for his daughter's engagement. The Baron's daughter, Anne, is set to marry Renaud, a warlord who prefers talking about battle more than reciting love poems. Disguised as traveling minstrels, Gilles and Dominique enter the castle and use their powers of enticement to ruin the upcoming nuptials. Gilles seduces the innocent Anne, while both the Baron and Renaud become bewitched with Dominique. But, when Gilles accidentally falls in love with Anne, the Devil arrives to ensure that any true happiness is destroyed. When Gilles and Anne are caught together in her room, Gilles is thrown into the dungeon, and Anne and Renaud's engagement is called off.

 

 

 

 

 

ER KANNS NICHT LASSEN  (1962)  * with switchable English subtitles *

Father Brown has a nasty habit of sticking his nose in police business ... often beating them to the punch and solving the problem before they do. The Church is none too thrilled about this, so they decide to send him into exile on Abbott's Rock, a forsaken island in the middle of nowhere. But even there, Father Brown unwittingly finds a way to stumble onto a major crime and is once more the star attraction for the newspaper headlines. So, his superiors decide the best way to handle his inclination to solve crimes is to send him somewhere where there are none: a community of millionaires, where one sees crimes as often as one sees a Walmart. Nevetheless, Father Brown finds yet another major crime and, much to the annoyance of the local inspectors, proves an apparent accident is anything but. As always, Father Brown will prove to be the better cop and will soon solve another who-dunnit.

 

Nur zu gerne mischt Pater Brown sich bei der Lösung kniffliger Kriminalfälle in die Arbeit der Polizei ein, oft mit durchschlagendem Erfolg. Deswegen wird der "mordlustige" Pfarrer strafversetzt, auf eine verschlafene Insel namens Abbott's Rock. Zunächst geschieht dort gar nichts, aber irgendwie scheint Pater Brown das Verbrechen anzuziehen: Schon bald treibt eine Diebesbande ihr Unwesen auf der Insel. So macht Brown wieder Schlagzeilen und wird erneut strafversetzt. Diesmal verschlägt es ihn in eine beschauliche irische Millionärsgemeinde. Aber wie gesagt, irgendwie zieht er es an. Und so ereignen sich eines Tages zwei tödliche Unglücksfälle, hinter denen Pater Browns Spürnase eindeutig Mord wittert sehr zum Ärger seines Bekannten, des Kommissars O'Connally, der an einen Unfall glaubt. Natürlich behält der Pater recht, mit List und Tücke wird er dem Übeltäter das Handwerk legen die baldige Versetzung ist ihm sowieso sicher.

 

 

 

GELIEBTE HOCHSTAPLERIN  (1961)  * with switchable English subtitles *

 

Fashion model Martine is intent on catching a millionaire on a luxury cruise. Thanks to her very attractive and elegant outfit, which she just happened to "borrow" from her boss, no one notices the lady is simply an impostor. When an oatmeal-millionaire from America by the name of David Ogden falls head over heels in love with her, it seems Martine is going to catch her rich sucker after all. Unfortunately for her, she's fallen for someone herself: the poor stowaway Robert, who's hidden away in her cabin.

 

Das Mannequin Martine will sich auf einem Luxusdampfer einen Millionär angeln. Dank ihrer auffallend eleganten Garderobe, die sie sich kurzerhand von ihrem Chef "ausgeliehen" hat, fällt niemand auf, dass die Dame von Welt in Wahrheit nur eine kleine Hochstaplerin ist. Als David Ogden, ein exzentrischer Haferflocken-Millionär aus Amerika, sich bis über beide Ohren in sie verliebt, scheint Martine am Ziel ihrer Wünsche zu sein. Doch dummerweise hat Martine längst ihr Herz an den bettelarmen blinden Passagier Robert verloren, der sich in ihrer Kabine versteckt hält.

 

 

 

HEIMWEH NACH DIR, MEIN GRUNES TAL  (1960)

 

Newly graduated veterinarian Gabriela is amazed after visiting the once blooming Sonnenhof of her grandfather (Wilhelm von Hubner) for the first time after a four year absence. The property is totally run down and the banks are threatening to collect on the mortgages her grandfather took out. Wilhelm, to put it briefly, is on the verge of ruin. The reason for all this is quickly revealed: since the new manager (Fred Schantl) has been working at Sonnenhof, things have been going downhill at a rapid pace. What's strange, though, is that granddaddy's been turning a blind eye to all of this. When Gabriela wants to talk to him about it, he has only one thing in mind: sending the little nosy thing away. But Gabriela's not one to take a hint too quickly. You see, she inherited half the property and has no interest in seeing it go to ground. Gabriela forces grandpa to divide up the property and employs the sawmill engineer Andreas Liebmann to manage her part of it. Soon, she falls in love with the emigre from Canada and after a short time, her part of Sonnenhof starts to blossom again. There's a big falling out between von Hubner and his administrator and when granddaddy von Hubner decides to fire his incompentent administration, Schantl threatens to bring a long-kept secret to light.

 

Die frisch promovierte Tierärztin Gabriela staunt nicht schlecht, als sie nach vier Jahren zum ersten Mal wieder den einst blühenden Sonnenhof ihres Großvaters Wilhelm von Hübner besucht. Der Besitz ist total heruntergewirtschaftet und die Banken drohen dem Großvater, die Kredite nicht zu verlängern. Der Großvater steht kurz vor dem Ruin. Der Schuldige an dieser offensichtlichen Misere ist schnell ausgemacht: Seit der neue Verwalter Fred Schantl auf dem Sonnenhof tätig ist, geht es rasant bergab. Umso merkwürdiger ist es, dass der gestandene Bauer vor all dem die Augen verschließt. Als Gabriela mit dem Großvater reden will, möchte der seine Enkelin am liebsten wieder fortschicken. Doch so schnell lässt Gabriela sich nicht abwimmeln. Laut Testament hat Gabriela die Hälfte des Guts geerbt und ihren Teil möchte sie auf keinen Fall verwahrlosen lassen. Gabriela erzwingt die Aufteilung des Besitzes und stellt den kürzlich aus Kanada zurückgekehrten Sägewerk-Ingenieur Andreas Liebmann als Verwalter ihrer Liegenschaften ein. Bald verliebt sie sich in Andreas. Schon nach kurzer Zeit blüht der Gabriela zugefallene Teil des Sonnenhofs wieder auf und es kommt zu einer dramatischen Auseinandersetzung zwischen Wilhelm von Hübner und seinem Verwalter Schantl. Von Hübner will den unfähigen Schantl entlassen, doch der droht damit, ein lange gehütetes Geheimnis ans Licht zu bringen.

  


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