Raoul Aslan

Spiegel des Lebens

Symphonie Wien

In 1756, a masked ball was officially celebrated in the Dresden Palais of the Saxon Minister Heinrich von Brühl. Unofficially, however, talks are taking place with the envoys of Austria, Russia and France with the aim of conspiring against the Prussian King Frederick II. The Prussian envoy, Major von Lindeneck, succeeded in bringing a copy of the concluded secret treaty to the Prussian king. Friedrich consults with his generals, who urge caution. Friedrich is stunned by the reaction and now develops a counter-plan. To do this, he sends von Lindeneck back to Dresden. However, the latter is not very enthusiastic about this, as he thinks he has reason to doubt his wife Blanche's marital fidelity, and he now has to leave her alone.

The story of General Yorck von Wartenburg, a commander in the army of Prussian King Wilhelm, who defied the king's orders for the Prussian army to join Napoleon in his invason of Russia.

A section from the life of composer Franz Schubert as a material for a love story. Also known in English as Gently My Songs Entreat. An English version called Unfinished Symphony would follow in 1934.

When an up-and-coming singer's career is jeopardized by morphine addiction, her brother takes on the ruthless dope pushers who are intent on keeping her hooked.

Mädchenpensionat

A professor discovers a way to separate the soul from the body.

The plot revolves around an oil swindle in a South American country.

Released a few months after the Italian The Passion According to St. Mathew, this Austrian film is, like the earlier effort, based on a theatre piece. But whereas the Italian picture was inspired by Bach's oratorio, St. Mathew's Passion is a filmed record of a newly commissioned State Burgtheatre production. Actor Raoul Aslan movingly recites the biblical story of the last days of Christ, while the Philharmonic Orchestra of Vienna underscores his words. Director Ernst Marischka breaks up the visual monotony of the proceeding by utilizing a montage of photographs and paintings of the Middle Eastern regions where the original story took place. Reviewers felt that St. Mathew's Passion should have been promoted as a documentary rather than a dramatic feature.

Unsichtbare Gegner

Wilhelm Tell

Götz von Berlichingen

The Light of Love

This movie takes place during the premiere of Mozart's Die Zauberfloete (The Magic Flute). Not really depicting his entire life and loves, much of this is fictionalized scatology. Although not without basis in fact, Mozart has attained a somewhat colorful reputation and this is really just more of the same. The music is a joy, but the movie bogs down in titillation. Mozart's last days were lived in poverty and disgrace--stemming chiefly from his embracing of the Freemason stance, which was essentially a heresy in Austria and the rest of Europe at that time. None of this is depicted and even a satyr could not sustain the lifestyle Mozart has been portrayed as having here. Still, this is an interesting movie and worth a listen to.

When Albers takes his drug-addicted opera star sister Gerda to a sanitarium, they both become targets of slimy dope peddler Peter Lorre, who fears that Gerda will blow the whistle on him. Lorre kidnaps the woman, leading Albers on a frantic chase.