Paul Kohner

A formidable presence both in front of and behind the camera, German auteur Erich von Stroheim is the subject of this in-depth documentary. Renowned for villainous roles as well as for his meticulous filmmaking approach, von Stroheim had a prolific decades-spanning career, which is detailed in interviews and photographs. Most notably, clips of his most celebrated works and even some of his lesser-known productions are presented.

The 1930 Hollywood-produced anti-war film "Nothing New in the West" is one of the great works in film history. But like hardly any other cinema classic, it was ostracized, shortened, censored, altered in image and sound and banned. The documentary deals with the eventful fate and especially the censorship history of the film classic.

Survivors of a shipwreck find refuge on a tropical island--but so do the ship's cargo of lions and tigers.

Relatives gather at a haunted mansion for a will reading where the sole heir is threatened by a clause that could disinherit her if she goes mad, all while a homicidal maniac escapes nearby.

A young married couple's relationship becomes strained when he is assigned overseas as a foreign correspondent and she becomes a major stage star.

In the year 1914: The assistants of cobbler Lehmann compete for the affections of his daughter Frieda. Actually she’s in love with her ambitious cousin Fritz, but the cunning Franz knows how to string her along. When Fritz gets drafted, Frieda gives in and marries Franz. Soon Fritz is declared missing and the old cobbler dies of grief. Along the way Franz, who dodged the military service, earns his money with large-scale racketeering. Frieda is miserable. But then Fritz returns from Soviet captivity, prompting Frieda to divorce Franz. Finally Frieda accepts an inheritance from the USA and marries Fritz. With the money they open up a shoe store.

Story of the trials and tribulations of a German who emigrates to the US during the Great Depression.

A young medical student returns to his Tyrolean home to find out that Napoleon's troops have taken over the area and that his mother and sister have been murdered.

In the last years of his life, Bavarian king Ludwig II (1845 – 1886) devotes himself to ambitious architectural projects, which strain the state coffers to the extreme. The monarch, who is afraid of people, also withdraws more and more into a dream world at his various castles. His brother is already in a psychiatric institute and Ludwig is also eventually put under the care of psychiatrist Bernhard von Gudden. The king attempts to get out from under this guardianship at Starnberg lake…

In Old Vienna in the days prior to The Great War, a beautiful woman, Hannerl, has her choice of two men; the first is a dashing young army officer who can provide blazing romance and little long-time security. The other is an older man, influential in the affairs of Austria, who could provide wealth...and tender devotion. Hannerl thinks about it.