Douglas Sirk

Directing

Douglas Sirk

Born 1897-04-26 · Hamburg, Germany

Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; April 26, 1897 – January 14, 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas in the 1950s.

Acting credits

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5.5

This documentary brings together a collection of remarkable interview footage with Douglas Sirk filmed in 1982 for the French TV show 'Cinéma cinémas', as well as material from the finished programme.

Days with Sirk

2008

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed poster
5.7

This timely exploration of Hollywood and LGBTQ+ identity examines the life of legendary actor Rock Hudson, from his public "ladies' man" persona to his private life as a gay man.

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

2023

Daniel Schmid: Le Chat Qui Pense poster
5.8

When director Daniel Schmid grew up, his parents ran a hotel in the Alps, and this singular setting was to influence his film. Rather by coincidence, he came to Berlin in the early 1960s and became part of the new German wave. Schmid worked with, among others, Wenders and Fassbinder, for example, as an actor in Wender’s The American Friend. He met Ingrid Caven, who was to play a diva in several of his films. This is a documentation of a part of modern European film history and a good analysis of artistry and how it corresponds to the individual behind the camera. A wealth of archival footage brings us close to many directors and actors in Schmid’s circle. If you’ve never seen a Daniel Schmid film, you are sure to want to after watching this portrait of his life.

Daniel Schmid: Le Chat Qui Pense

2010

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NR

Documentary about the shooting of BOURBON STREET BLUES.

Filmarbeit mit Douglas Sirk

1987

From UFA to Hollywood: Douglas Sirk Remembers poster
5.7

This 82-minute 1991 documentary by Eckhart Schmidt features a 1980 interview with Douglas Sirk in which he reflects on his career.

From UFA to Hollywood: Douglas Sirk Remembers

1991

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NR

The stars and director of 'Written on the Wind' and 'The Tarnished Angels' talk about director Douglas Sirk's techniques. Archival interviews originally appeared in the documentary "Douglas Sirk: Uber Stars" (Eckhart Schmidt, 1980)

Acting for Douglas Sirk

2008

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NR

Television documentary about German-born American director Douglas Sirk.

Behind the Mirror: A Profile of Douglas Sirk

1979

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10.0

Douglas speaks about some of the stars he has directed, like Asta Nielsen, Lili Dagover, Zarah Leander, George Sanders, Signe Hasso, Barbara Stanwyck, Jane Wyman, and many others.

Douglas Sirk: Über Stars

1980

Douglas Sirk – Hope as in Despair poster
8.0

An investigative portrait of the master of cinematic melodrama, Douglas Sirk. His life was the ultimate melodrama, from which all his films were inspired. Through the testimonies of those closest to him and the unpublished accounts in his wife's diary, we get closer to this man surrounded by mystery.

Douglas Sirk – Hope as in Despair

2022

Imitation of Life poster
9.0

Portrait of filmmaker Douglas Sirk.

Imitation of Life

1983

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NR

Douglas Sirk talks about his 1937 film 'Zu neuen Ufern'

Douglas Sirk erzählt...Zarah Leander und 'Zu neuen Ufern'

2009

Behind the camera

Hitler's Madman poster
5.5

In 1942, a young paratrooper in the RAF returns to Czechoslovakia to encourage his fellow countrymen to sabotage the German war effort.

Hitler's Madman

1943

Imitation of Life poster
7.4

In 1940s New York, a white widow who dreams of being on Broadway has a chance encounter with a black single mother, who becomes her maid.

Imitation of Life

1959

The Tarnished Angels poster
6.8

In the 1930s, once-great World War I pilot Roger Shumann performs as a daredevil barnstorming pilot at aerial stunt shows while his wife, LaVerne, works as a parachutist. When newspaper reporter Burke Devlin arrives to do a story on the Shumanns’ act, he quickly falls in love with the beautiful--and neglected--LaVerne.

The Tarnished Angels

1957

Written on the Wind poster
7.0

Mitch Wayne is a geologist working for the Hadleys, an oil-rich Texas family. While the patriarch, Jasper, works hard to establish the family business, his irresponsible son, Kyle, is an alcoholic playboy, and his daughter, Marylee, is the town tramp. Mitch harbors a secret love for Kyle's unsatisfied wife, Lucy -- a fact that leaves him exposed when the jealous Marylee accuses him of murder.

Written on the Wind

1956

All That Heaven Allows poster
7.3

Two different social classes collide when Cary Scott, a wealthy upper-class widow, falls in love with her much younger and down-to-earth gardener, prompting disapproval and criticism from her children and country club friends.

All That Heaven Allows

1955

The Court Concert poster
5.5

Before he became cult director Douglas Sirk, Detlef Sierck cut his teeth on such lavish European star vehicles as Das Hofkonzert (The Court Concert). Marta Eggerth is cast as Christine, a young singer who aspires to find out who her father was. Her odyssey brings her to the court of a mythical kingdom, where she is romanced by handsome lieutenant Walter (Johannes Heesters). He is warned not to lose his heart to a "commoner," but all turns out all right when King Serenissimus (Otto Tressler) turns out to be Christine's long-lost daddy. Hofkonzert was designed as a comeback for Marta Eggerth, whose star had eclipsed by the mid-1930s.

The Court Concert

1936

The Court Concert poster
5.5

Before he became cult director Douglas Sirk, Detlef Sierck cut his teeth on such lavish European star vehicles as Das Hofkonzert (The Court Concert). Marta Eggerth is cast as Christine, a young singer who aspires to find out who her father was. Her odyssey brings her to the court of a mythical kingdom, where she is romanced by handsome lieutenant Walter (Johannes Heesters). He is warned not to lose his heart to a "commoner," but all turns out all right when King Serenissimus (Otto Tressler) turns out to be Christine's long-lost daddy. Hofkonzert was designed as a comeback for Marta Eggerth, whose star had eclipsed by the mid-1930s.

The Court Concert

1936

Magnificent Obsession poster
6.8

Reckless playboy Bob Merrick crashes his speedboat, requiring emergency attention from the town’s only resuscitator while a local hero, Dr. Phillips, dies waiting for the life-saving device. Merrick then tries to right his wrongs with the doctor’s widow, Helen, falling in love with her in the process.

Magnificent Obsession

1954

The Lady Pays Off poster
7.5

The naive Evelyn Warren, elected school teacher of the year by Time Magazine, goes to Las Vegas, where she loses a lot of money. In order to pay her debts, casino manager Matt Braddock asks her to take care of his sad little daughter Diana.

The Lady Pays Off

1951

A Scandal in Paris poster
6.4

A smooth-talking French thief wangles his way into an important position as prefect of police.

A Scandal in Paris

1946

Sleep, My Love poster
6.3

A woman wakes up in the middle of the night on board a train, but she can't remember how she got there. Danger and suspense ensue.

Sleep, My Love

1948

Slightly French poster
7.5

A film director, in bad standing with his studio, tries to turn a local carnival dancer into a "French" movie star and pass her off as his big new discovery.

Slightly French

1949

Taza, Son of Cochise poster
5.6

Three years after the end of the Apache wars, peacemaking chief Cochise dies. His elder son Taza shares his ideas, but brother Naiche yearns for war...and for Taza's betrothed, Oona. Naiche loses no time in starting trouble which, thanks to a bigoted cavalry officer, ends with the proud Chiricahua Apaches on a reservation, where they are soon joined by the captured renegade Geronimo, who is all it takes to light the firecracker's fuse...

Taza, Son of Cochise

1954

Boefje poster
6.6

Twelve year old 'Boefje' spends most of his time in the alleys, on rooftops and in the harbor of Rotterdam. A local clergyman takes pity on him and attempts to teach him good manners.

Boefje

1939

Lured poster
6.3

Sandra Carpenter is a London-based dancer who is distraught to learn that her friend has disappeared. Soon after the disappearance, she's approached by Harley Temple, a police investigator who believes her friend has been murdered by a serial killer who uses personal ads to find his victims. Temple hatches a plan to catch the killer using Sandra as bait, and Sandra agrees to help.

Lured

1947

There's Always Tomorrow poster
7.2

When a toy manufacturer feels ignored and unappreciated by his wife and children, he begins to rekindle a past love when a former employee comes back into his life.

There's Always Tomorrow

1956

Sign of the Pagan poster
6.0

Roman centurion Marcian is captured by Attila the Hun en route to Constantinople, but escapes. On arrival, he finds the eastern Roman emperor Theodosius plotting with Attila to look the other way while the latter marches against Rome. But Marcian gains the favor of Pulcheria, lovely sister of Theodosius, who favors a united Empire.

Sign of the Pagan

1954

Battle Hymn poster
6.7

Dean Hess, who entered the ministry to atone for bombing a German orphanage, decides he’s a failure at preaching. Rejoined to train pilots early in the Korean War, he finds Korean orphans raiding the airbase garbage. With a pretty Korean teacher, he sets up an orphanage for them and others.

Battle Hymn

1957

Shockproof poster
6.3

Jenny Marsh, recently released from prison for killing a man, finds herself under the watchful eye of her parole officer, Griff Marat, who helps her secure a job caring for his ailing mother.

Shockproof

1949

A Time to Love and a Time to Die poster
7.2

A German soldier home on leave falls in love with a girl, then returns to World War II.

A Time to Love and a Time to Die

1958

Two Greyhounds poster
7.3

An early short film by Douglas Sirk (Detlef Sierck) which takes a satirical look at dubious business practices during the Weimar Republic. It was banned under the title "Zwei Genies" but released as "Zwei Windhunde" after revisions were made.

Two Greyhounds

1934

All I Desire poster
7.0

In 1910, a stage actress re-visits her husband and children she deserted ten years ago.

All I Desire

1953

Thunder on the Hill poster
6.4

Sister Mary presides over a convent where a convicted murderess, who is being escorted to Death Row, is stranded by bad weather. She is slowly becoming convinced that Valerie is innocent so Sister Mary sets about to clear the girl and bring the real killer to justice.

Thunder on the Hill

1951

Has Anybody Seen My Gal? poster
7.0

When a 1920s millionaire tests the fiber of his Vermont family, a young lady and her boyfriend feel the repercussions.

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

1952