Helmut Käutner

Directing

Helmut Käutner

Born — Died

1908-03-25 — 1980-04-20

Place of birth

Düsseldorf, Germany

Known for

Directing

Credits

81 titles

Helmut Käutner (born 25 March 1908 in Düsseldorf, Germany; died 20 April 1980 in Castellina in Chianti, Italy) was a German film director active mainly in the 1940s and 1950s. He began his career at the end of the Weimar Republic and had released his first major films in Nazi Germany.

Known for

Scene of the Crime poster
6.2

Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland.

Scene of the Crime

1970

Derrick poster
6.0

Derrick was a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein, who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings.

Derrick

1974

Bambi poster
9.0

The Bambi, often called the Bambi Award and stylised as BAMBI, is a German award presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television to personalities in the media, arts, culture, sports, and other fields "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year", both domestic and foreign. First held in 1948, it is the oldest media award in Germany. The trophy is named after Felix Salten's book Bambi, A Life in the Woods and its statuettes are in the shape of the novel's titular fawn character. They were originally made of porcelain until 1958, when the organizers switched to using gold, with the casting done by the art casting workshop of Ernst Strassacker in Süßen.

Bambi

1948

No artwork available
NR

Annual awarding of the Grimme Awards.

Grimme Award

1964

No artwork available
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

German Film Award

1951

The Commissioner poster
8.0

Der Kommissar is a German television series about a group of detectives of the Munich homicide squad. All 97 episodes, which were shot in black-and-white and first broadcast between 1969 and 1976, were written by Herbert Reinecker and starred Erik Ode as Kommissar Herbert Keller. Keller's assistants were Walter Grabert, Robert Heines, and Harry Klein who, in 1974, was replaced by his younger brother Erwin Klein.

The Commissioner

1969

Film credits

1970s · 8 titles

1960s · 7 titles

1950s · 8 titles

Monpti poster
5.9

A poor Hungarian artist falls in love with a wealthy mysterious Parisian girl.

Monpti

1957

Epilogue poster
6.0

The reporter Peter Zabel stumbles upon the sinking of the luxury yacht Orplid in Hamburg on August 14, 1949. The ship went down with a wedding party run by artists on a pleasure trip from Hamburg to Scotland . In spite of good weather and no technical problems. Out of personal curiosity, Zabel starts researching. Could the sinking of Orplid have political reasons? A German political thriller and film noir inspired by Carol Reed's "The Third Man".

Epilogue

1950

Der Schinderhannes poster
7.3

1802: The adventurous life story of Hans Bückler, known as “Schinderhannes”, who fights against the French occupying forces and large landowners who exploit poor farmers in the Hunsrück region during the Napoleonic Wars.

Der Schinderhannes

1958

Without Trumpet or Drum poster
10.0

Summer 1870. Following the French defeat at Sedan. Léon, a soldier in a detachment isolated in the Ardennes forest, is sent in search of water. When he discovers the most peaceful of rivers, he decides to undress and bathe in it. At bend of the river he catches sight of another naked swimmer. It's a Prussian! Both men start bickering a bit: aren't they supposed to be arch enemies? But they soon fraternize. Unfortunately the patrol has not vanished in the haze and they hear it coming. Each man gets hold of his uniform and runs away in two opposite directions. The only trouble is that Fritz the Prussian has donned the French uniform and Leon the Prussian one!

Without Trumpet or Drum

1959

The Last Bridge poster
6.2

A German nurse gets sent to the front because she gives medical aid to a wounded Yugoslav partisan during World War II.

The Last Bridge

1954

Königskinder poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Königskinder

1950

The Girl from Flanders poster
8.6

A love story between a German soldier and a young Flemish woman amidst World War I.

The Girl from Flanders

1956

The Zurich Engagement poster
6.4

Juliane Thomas is an ambitious but unemployed young writer. After breaking up with her lover she works at a dentist friend to make ends meet. One day she instantly falls in love with one of the patients (Jean Berner) and promptly writes a movie script about the encounter in which she projects her own fantasies about how things will turn out eventually. By coincidence this movie script is picked up by a film director who happens to be Berner's closest friend and from then on things become very complicated...

The Zurich Engagement

1957

1940s · 4 titles

Series credits

Scene of the Crime poster
6.2

Tatort is a long-running German/Austrian/Swiss crime television series set in various parts of these countries. The show is broadcast on the channels of ARD in Germany, ORF in Austria and SF1 in Switzerland.

Scene of the Crime

1970

Derrick poster
6.0

Derrick was a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein, who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings.

Derrick

1974

Derrick poster
6.0

Derrick was a German TV series produced by Telenova Film und Fernsehproduktion in association with ZDF, ORF and SRG between 1974 and 1998 about Detective Chief Inspector Stephan Derrick and his loyal assistant Inspector Harry Klein, who solve murder cases in Munich and surroundings.

Derrick

1974

Bambi poster
9.0

The Bambi, often called the Bambi Award and stylised as BAMBI, is a German award presented annually by Hubert Burda Media to recognize excellence in international media and television to personalities in the media, arts, culture, sports, and other fields "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year", both domestic and foreign. First held in 1948, it is the oldest media award in Germany. The trophy is named after Felix Salten's book Bambi, A Life in the Woods and its statuettes are in the shape of the novel's titular fawn character. They were originally made of porcelain until 1958, when the organizers switched to using gold, with the casting done by the art casting workshop of Ernst Strassacker in Süßen.

Bambi

1948

No artwork available
NR

Annual awarding of the Grimme Awards.

Grimme Award

1964

No artwork available
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

German Film Award

1951

The Commissioner poster
8.0

Der Kommissar is a German television series about a group of detectives of the Munich homicide squad. All 97 episodes, which were shot in black-and-white and first broadcast between 1969 and 1976, were written by Herbert Reinecker and starred Erik Ode as Kommissar Herbert Keller. Keller's assistants were Walter Grabert, Robert Heines, and Harry Klein who, in 1974, was replaced by his younger brother Erwin Klein.

The Commissioner

1969

Eichholz & Söhne poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Eichholz & Söhne

1977

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Blick zurück im Film

1963

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Das ist Ihr Leben

1976

Ein Mann namens Harry Brent poster
8.0

A man shrouded in mystery. His name is Harry Brent. Not even his fiancée knows much about him. All she knows is that he runs a small travel agency. In a puzzling turn of events, he becomes involved in the murder of his fiancée's boss. The first thing that becomes clear to Detective Inspector James Wallace is that Harry Brent is obviously a key figure in the case...

Ein Mann namens Harry Brent

1968

Die Frau in Weiß poster
NR

Walter Hartrigth is supposed to teach Sir Frederic Fairlie's nieces drawing at an old country castle. He soon falls in love with Laura, the younger of the two students. Marian, her sister, tells him that Laura is already engaged to Sir Percival Glyde. Sir Percival insists on the wedding. But he has an enemy: "The Woman in White," who looks exactly like Laura. In an anonymous letter, she reveals that Sir Percival and his friends, the Countess and Count Fosco, are only after Laura's money.

Die Frau in Weiß

1971

Karl May poster
NR

The last ten years in Karl May’s life. A man fighting for his work, which lets him become an iconic figure of his time.

Karl May

1974

Behind the camera

Sky Without Stars poster
6.9

Anna is a factory worker in East Germany, but her five-year-old son Jochen lives with his grandparents in the West. Anna wants him to live with her, so she abducts him. Along the way she meets Carl, who helps her cross the border, and they fall in love.

Sky Without Stars

1955

Sky Without Stars poster
6.9

Anna is a factory worker in East Germany, but her five-year-old son Jochen lives with his grandparents in the West. Anna wants him to live with her, so she abducts him. Along the way she meets Carl, who helps her cross the border, and they fall in love.

Sky Without Stars

1955

In Those Days poster
6.9

A car tells its story and the story of its seven owners during the years of the Third Reich.

In Those Days

1947

In Those Days poster
6.9

A car tells its story and the story of its seven owners during the years of the Third Reich.

In Those Days

1947

In Those Days poster
6.9

A car tells its story and the story of its seven owners during the years of the Third Reich.

In Those Days

1947

Monpti poster
5.9

A poor Hungarian artist falls in love with a wealthy mysterious Parisian girl.

Monpti

1957

Monpti poster
5.9

A poor Hungarian artist falls in love with a wealthy mysterious Parisian girl.

Monpti

1957

Lausbubengeschichten poster
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

Lausbubengeschichten

1964

The Devil's General poster
6.9

The adaptation of the eponymous play by Carl Zuckmayer tells the story of renegade general Harras of the German Luftwaffe, who during WWII openly criticizes the Nazi regime. As a consequence, he is put under surveillance, and even imprisoned for a brief period of time. Still remaining outspoken, Harras realizes the horrific dimensions of this hopeless and injust war waged by Germany.

The Devil's General

1955

The Devil's General poster
6.9

The adaptation of the eponymous play by Carl Zuckmayer tells the story of renegade general Harras of the German Luftwaffe, who during WWII openly criticizes the Nazi regime. As a consequence, he is put under surveillance, and even imprisoned for a brief period of time. Still remaining outspoken, Harras realizes the horrific dimensions of this hopeless and injust war waged by Germany.

The Devil's General

1955

The Captain from Kopenick poster
7.3

A young shoemaker is arrested for stealing a small amount of money, and is jailed for fifteen years. Upon his release, he wants to get a permit to get a job and start anew, but finds that without a job he can't get a permit, and without a permit he can't get a job. Ensnared in the absurd net of Prussian bureaucracy, he can't see any way out. That is, until he enters a thrift shop and spots a Prussian officer's uniform that fits him like a second skin...

The Captain from Kopenick

1956

The Captain from Kopenick poster
7.3

A young shoemaker is arrested for stealing a small amount of money, and is jailed for fifteen years. Upon his release, he wants to get a permit to get a job and start anew, but finds that without a job he can't get a permit, and without a permit he can't get a job. Ensnared in the absurd net of Prussian bureaucracy, he can't see any way out. That is, until he enters a thrift shop and spots a Prussian officer's uniform that fits him like a second skin...

The Captain from Kopenick

1956

Port of Freedom poster
7.3

Singing sailor Hannes, who now entertains the crowd at St. Pauli's Hippodrome after years at sea, promises his dying brother that he will take care of his ex-girlfriend Gisa. Taking Gisa to Hamburg to live with him, Hannes quickly falls in love with her, but soon has to face Gisa's affection for another man, Willem.

Port of Freedom

1944

Port of Freedom poster
7.3

Singing sailor Hannes, who now entertains the crowd at St. Pauli's Hippodrome after years at sea, promises his dying brother that he will take care of his ex-girlfriend Gisa. Taking Gisa to Hamburg to live with him, Hannes quickly falls in love with her, but soon has to face Gisa's affection for another man, Willem.

Port of Freedom

1944

A Stranger in My Arms poster
4.2

An Air Force pilot finds romance with his war buddy's widow.

A Stranger in My Arms

1959

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Stella

1967

Nights on the Road poster
7.9

An aging truck driver finds smuggled money and becomes involved with a hijacking crowd.

Nights on the Road

1952

Epilogue poster
6.0

The reporter Peter Zabel stumbles upon the sinking of the luxury yacht Orplid in Hamburg on August 14, 1949. The ship went down with a wedding party run by artists on a pleasure trip from Hamburg to Scotland . In spite of good weather and no technical problems. Out of personal curiosity, Zabel starts researching. Could the sinking of Orplid have political reasons? A German political thriller and film noir inspired by Carol Reed's "The Third Man".

Epilogue

1950

Epilogue poster
6.0

The reporter Peter Zabel stumbles upon the sinking of the luxury yacht Orplid in Hamburg on August 14, 1949. The ship went down with a wedding party run by artists on a pleasure trip from Hamburg to Scotland . In spite of good weather and no technical problems. Out of personal curiosity, Zabel starts researching. Could the sinking of Orplid have political reasons? A German political thriller and film noir inspired by Carol Reed's "The Third Man".

Epilogue

1950

The Restless Years poster
7.0

A pretty, sheltered teenager falls for a boy from the wrong side of town.

The Restless Years

1958

This Time it Must Be Caviar poster
7.2

Thomas Lieven is a German secret agent trying to leave that profession, to live a peaceful life. Adventure is too strong an appeal, he starts working again, and soon it's difficult to say if he is doing his job, or turned out as double agent for England, France or even communist Russia! To save his skin, he'll do - almost - anything, to anyone...

This Time it Must Be Caviar

1961

Under the Bridges poster
7.3

Two barge skippers fall in love with the same woman.

Under the Bridges

1946

Under the Bridges poster
7.3

Two barge skippers fall in love with the same woman.

Under the Bridges

1946

Ludwig II poster
7.1

Life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria.

Ludwig II

1955

Romance in a Minor Key poster
7.0

A grieving husband tries to uncover the truth behind his wife's suicide, leading him to discover a tragic tale of infidelity and redemption.

Romance in a Minor Key

1943

Romance in a Minor Key poster
7.0

A grieving husband tries to uncover the truth behind his wife's suicide, leading him to discover a tragic tale of infidelity and redemption.

Romance in a Minor Key

1943

Black Gravel poster
7.1

Tensions rise when a U.S. military base is built in a small village in post-war Germany.

Black Gravel

1961

Black Gravel poster
7.1

Tensions rise when a U.S. military base is built in a small village in post-war Germany.

Black Gravel

1961

Reaching for the Stars poster
9.0

No synopsis available yet.

Reaching for the Stars

1955

Der Schinderhannes poster
7.3

1802: The adventurous life story of Hans Bückler, known as “Schinderhannes”, who fights against the French occupying forces and large landowners who exploit poor farmers in the Hunsrück region during the Napoleonic Wars.

Der Schinderhannes

1958

The Fire Tongs Bowl poster
5.5

A successful author, who was educated by private teachers in his home instead of being sent to school with other boys, realizes he missed out on a lot fun in his younger years. He decides to make up for this and attends school classes disguised as a pupil.

The Fire Tongs Bowl

1970

The Fire Tongs Bowl poster
5.5

A successful author, who was educated by private teachers in his home instead of being sent to school with other boys, realizes he missed out on a lot fun in his younger years. He decides to make up for this and attends school classes disguised as a pupil.

The Fire Tongs Bowl

1970

The Original Sin poster
6.6

An apple juice producer can't decide between his wife and his secretary and tries to commit suicide. Being committed to psychiatry, he falls asleep and dreams of adventures as Adam and Eve in heaven and hell.

The Original Sin

1948

The Original Sin poster
6.6

An apple juice producer can't decide between his wife and his secretary and tries to commit suicide. Being committed to psychiatry, he falls asleep and dreams of adventures as Adam and Eve in heaven and hell.

The Original Sin

1948

The Original Sin poster
6.6

An apple juice producer can't decide between his wife and his secretary and tries to commit suicide. Being committed to psychiatry, he falls asleep and dreams of adventures as Adam and Eve in heaven and hell.

The Original Sin

1948

Kitty and the World Conference poster
8.0

The setting is Lugano (Switzerland), where an apparently very important world conference takes place. The film tells the story of the young Kitty (Hannelore Schroth), who works as a manicurist at the Eden Hotel, and who in the course of events gets to know both a young journalist (Christian Gollong) and the English minister of economics (Fritz Odemar). A lot of wild mix-ups, comic situations, a love story and occasional singing ensue, and in the end most of the VIPs have gained their share of laughter… There’s also a great performance by Paul Hörbiger as the hotel porter. For a 1939 film made in Germany, “Kitty” is remarkably irreverent and satirical about politics.

Kitty and the World Conference

1939

Kitty and the World Conference poster
8.0

The setting is Lugano (Switzerland), where an apparently very important world conference takes place. The film tells the story of the young Kitty (Hannelore Schroth), who works as a manicurist at the Eden Hotel, and who in the course of events gets to know both a young journalist (Christian Gollong) and the English minister of economics (Fritz Odemar). A lot of wild mix-ups, comic situations, a love story and occasional singing ensue, and in the end most of the VIPs have gained their share of laughter… There’s also a great performance by Paul Hörbiger as the hotel porter. For a 1939 film made in Germany, “Kitty” is remarkably irreverent and satirical about politics.

Kitty and the World Conference

1939

Redhead poster
5.9

Bored with her marriage, Franziska decides to travel to Venice.

Redhead

1962

Redhead poster
5.9

Bored with her marriage, Franziska decides to travel to Venice.

Redhead

1962

The Dream of Lieschen Müller poster
8.2

Lieschen Müller is in her mid-20s, works a dull office job and fancies the handsome waiter from the diner down the street, wishing for a more exciting life. In a vivid, lucid dream she happens upon a gigantic fortune, allowing her to live out her wildest fantasies. Quickly, however, she realizes that that's not what makes her happy.

The Dream of Lieschen Müller

1961