Walter Steinbeck

In 1912, the Titanic embarks on its inevitable collision course with history. In the wake of the over-spending required to build the largest luxury ship in the world, White Star Line executive Sir Bruce Ismay schemes to reverse the direction of his company's plummeting stock value. Onboard the Titanic, brave German 1st Officer Petersen struggles to convince his self-important British superiors not to overexert the ship's engines.

The marriage of the celebrated operetta diva Vilma and the chamber singer Peter has come to an end. Peter, however, is intent on winning back his now ex-wife. So he’s come up with the idea of a guest performance in Venice, where the two will both appear. Vilma, however, has already found a new man – Niki. He’s a salesman and she wants to marry him. With the help of Annemarie, a friend, who has won a trip to Venice, Peter succeeds in diverting Niki, for he falls in love with Annemarie. Now the way is free for Peter to win back the ex-wife, who couldn’t care if he lived in a hole six feet underground.

A young actress in love ensnares the director she admires by successfully playing the role of his ideal woman—the homemaker.

Lothar von Pütz and Roswitha von Krakow fall in love and only then discover that their fathers are bitter enemies. When Lothar's father dies, a close friend of his father's, Baron Maximilian von Hanckel, takes the boy under his wing and tries to make peace between the families. He visits Roswitha's father, who begins to hope that he can marry his daughter to the older, but wealthy, baron, who is still a bachelor. When an argument breaks out between Lothar and Roswitha, she agrees to marry Maximilian. It is only at the pre-wedding party that Roswitha and Lothar have a real conversation. Maximilian overhears everything, releases Roswitha from her vows, and brings the two young people together.

As the son of a fashion house owner in Zurich, Hans Haberland apparently can offer his lovers any article of clothing, for which they're willing to sell themselves. His current girl-toy Lizzie wants this fantastic, sky blue dress -- but it's that dress exactly, which his father has just sold to a business buddy in Berlin. Oh, the shortages and traumas of war one has to put up with!

Melodrama about an actress falling in love with a man who wants her to give up her job.

Paulus van Geldern is a lawyer who has made a name for himself as a criminal defense attorney, but is notoriously short of funds due to his unbridled passion for gambling. His gambling causes problems with his marriage to Martha who is thriving.

This film is a fascinating showcase for Emil Janning's theatrical play. He's a gentle school teacher who believes in his boys and is easily fooled about all things, while the other town officials want him dismissed. Curiously it's very hard to see what the film is exactly aiming for. Disaster strikes and the lax prof proves to be too far removed of the real problems of the world, on the other hand his enemies are shown in the most unsympathetic, satirical way denouncing the militaristic, bourgeois ideology of the Kaiserreich.

The famous actress Paula Corvey loves the young racer Werner Bruck. One day, Paula's 18-year old daughter returns unexpectedly to her mother. She was living with her father, Paula's ex-husband, but she's run off to Paula, because daddy wouldn't let her become a hot-to-trot actress like mama. Paula just doesn't know what to do. That she's the mother of a grown up girl is something she desperately wants to hide from Werner (no, honey, I swear: you don't look a day over 17 ... uh huh). So, to cover her little horny tracks, she tells Werner that Eva is her cousin. The plan backfires (ha ha!), when Werner falls for the "cousin". When Werner finally discovers the truth, a conflict develops (duhh!), which can only be solved by Paula finding a man her own age (thank you).

Monika (German: Eine Mutter kämpft um ihr Kind, lit. 'A Mother Fights for Her Child') is a 1938 German melodrama film directed and written by Heinz Helbig. The story centers on a singer who relinquishes her illegitimate daughter to a German engineer in São Paulo to pursue her career, only to return eight years later as a celebrated film star and wife of a prominent surgeon, demanding custody after encountering the child on a film set.

The young, forward-thinking doctor Dr. Maerker arrives in a small factory town and is appalled by the prevailing social conditions. The working-class families live in poor conditions and can barely feed their many children. Maerker therefore wants to give a lecture on contraception in the inn, but encounters fierce resistance from his conservative boss, Dr. Witte, who wants to prevent the lecture together with the pastor and the magistrate. Only a severe nervous fever finally persuades old Witte to side with Maerker.

Olga, a woman of the demimonde, is shot in her apartment. The bullet was deflected by something, otherwise it would have killed Olga. Witnesses heard a noise at 2 p.m. that sounded like a gunshot. Detective Heidenreich investigates and discovers that the perpetrator must have been one of the tenants in the building. He realizes that many people are suspects.

Young Jan Bergwall visits his grandmother, the so-called centenary, at Woyland Castle. There he meets his cousin Andrea, who everyone calls "Fundvogel". Jan is fascinated by the young girl's beauty, and soon there is an erotic tension in the air between the two. Although they both have strong feelings for each other, they are afraid to make a commitment, even though their domineering grandmother is determined that they marry. Panicked that he might feel obliged to marry Andrea, Jan escapes from this place. Andrea is deeply disappointed and seeks revenge. Out of spite, she becomes involved with the falconer Bartel and is later raped in a wooden hut. The centigress, concerned about morals and customs, then sends Fundvogel to a convent. She escapes from there and flees into the arms of Jan. When he learns from a letter from the countess what has happened to Andrea, he leaves her a second time. In her despair, Fundvogel then throws herself off a bridge into the floods with suicidal intent.

A taxi driver, (Piel), finds an odd contraption on the back seat that renders him invisible, but his friend steals the device to rob a bank. An inventive comedy.

Though "blessed" with a complex title, which translates as Marriage with Limited Liability, this German comedy was adapted from the more simply titled stage play Causa Kaiser. Composer Georg Kaiser is unable to secure a divorce from his wife, so he "lives in sin" with his singer-sweetheart Causa. The girl's wealthy uncle dies, leaving her millions -- provided she is married to Georg Kaiser. Hoping to take advantage of a legal loophole, Georg seeks out another man named George Kaiser, intending to marry him off to Causa so that she can collect her legacy. Georg Kaiser # 2 is a middle-aged naif who can't understand why his new bride is so cold to him. When he finds out he's been duped by Kaiser #1, Kaiser #2 finds solace in the arms of another woman closer to his own age, which somehow leads to a happy ending for all concerned.

Out of unlikely circumstances an underground ticket vending girl and a mail pilot fall in love.

The wintry mountainscapes of Bavaria provide the backdrop for this airy German comedy. The story is set in motion when young clerk Boenecke (Richard Romanowsky) accidentally delivers a check to the wrong bank. Boenecke's boss Schumann (Walter Steinbeck) suspects the clerk of embezzlement -- especially since our hero has taken off on an extended Alpine vacation with his sweetheart Hilde (Magda Schneider). Before this comic chain reaction can be straightened out, hero and heroine have become entangled with a gang of female pickpockets. Essentially a "moonlight and strudel" confection, Winterachtstraum was perfect escapist entertainment for Magda Schneider's legions of fans.

A wealthy uncle from America has named the widowed shoemaker Emil Rogge as his sole heir and bequeathed him a chest containing his entire fortune. However, the will includes a clause stipulating that the chest may only be opened after a three-month period, and Rogge will only inherit the fortune if he fulfills two conditions within that time: he must abstain from alcohol at work, and he must find and marry a wife. A con man then tries to seduce Rogge and arrange for his accomplice, the sophisticated Olga, to marry him. But in the end, Rogge not only finds the right woman but also experiences a major surprise.

A captain from Hamburg takes over the command of a yacht, unaware that it's smuggling liquor. The action revolves around love, attacks on customs guards, a storm on the high seas, a capsized speedboat and a brave rescue operation.

A deranged woman artist falls in love with a young sculptor. The impossible love ends tragically.

Fred von Wellingen is a wealthy industrialist, part of a large family-owned corporation. Fred has fallen for Lia, a comely bartender in the Berlin Cabaret. He proposes to her, much to the horror of his family, which considers Lia and her unsophisticated father far below their caste. The family convinces Fred to give up the girl in exchange for increased position and income in the company. But Fred's lapse is momentary, and he again pursues Lia. But she, by this time, has learned of his erstwhile agreement and has agreed to marry someone else.

The pleasure boat “Milwaukee” has a wide variety of guests on board: Frau Deiters, who is determined to get her daughter married off; Herr Krueger, who won a free ticket to travel onboard; Herr Dr. Bornemann, a completely introverted man, who has dedicated himself to his work; and Ms. Kathe, the ship’s photographer. On the way to Madeira, Mother Deiters quickly determines, that only Dr. Bornemann would be an appropriate match for her daughter. However, Fraulein Kathe secretly is in love with him. When the two end up in a very publicly embarrassing situation, the entire ship thinks she is the fiancée.

Weimar era screwball comedy about a floor model who is required to go out evenings to escort VIPs while her boyfriend has to wait at home.

By pure chance, Jessie and his four jazz musicians are hired to play at the cabaret theatre “Trocadero”. Unfortunately, she knows nothing about music and it doesn’t help that all four musicians are in love with her. Jessie doesn’t reciprocate their feelings, because she has a thing for Martin. Unfortunately, Martin believes that Jessie stole his car … and so, right before the premiere at the cabaret, she ends up in jail.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.

Dolly Haas is employed as a (supposedly male) servant at a Hotel.

In a transport museum, the items on display begin to tell their stories. Most interesting is the history of the Pullman car. In the beginning, it served as transport for a princely family; then became the headquarters car for the military high command; and then, most adventurous of all, it ended up with a circus. Converted to a bar, it finally had its day and was supposed to serve as a placard carrier. Luckily, the museum saved it from this sad fate.

"The Man with the Paw" is what people call the very successful banker Wiegant, who is desperately in love with Lena Kroning, the wife of the lawyer Hugo Kroning. So as to be nearer to her, Wiegant hires her husband to be the bank's lawyer. Shortly thereafter, Wiegant is suspected of having conned the Countess Steindorff during a telephone conversation; but he never did. During the relevant period of time, he was with Lena "having tea" (uh huh), which he conceals from the lawyer-husband, so as to protect Lena.

A celebration of strong Prussian leadership during the reign of Frederick the Great.

A wrecked car is found on the Reichsautobahn between Hamburg and Bremen. Inside is a murdered woman. It soon becomes clear that the woman is the dancer Grazielle Holm. The investigators are certain: it was murder! But unfortunately there are far too many suspects...

In this spy drama set in a Hamburg hotel, a waiter saves important industrial papers belonging to a German contractor from being stolen by foreign crooks.

Michael Lutz and his fiancée Barbara want to spend their vacation on a quiet island in the Danube, hoping to finally have some time to themselves. And who do they run into there? None other than Mr. Bruckmann, Barbara's boss. He hadn't planned on ending up on the island at all; he only wanted to take a boat trip with his partner, Consul Hansens, and the latter's pretty daughter, Gwen. Bruckmann and Gwen are on the verge of falling in love, which the consul would find extremely pleasing. Now they're all stranded on the island together, without money, papers, or clothes.

Vienna in the beginning of the twentieth century. Cavalry Lieutenant Fritz Lobheimer is about to end his affair with Baroness Eggerdorff when he meets the young Christine, the daughter of an opera violinist. Baron Eggerdorff however soon hears of his past misfortune...

A woman steals money from her banker husband but her lover, a baron, is jailed.He escapes and under a new identity is a circus daredevil but she threatens him and his new sweetheart.

No synopsis available yet.

Remake of the silent film of 1921: The lord of a castle disappears after the return of two feuding brothers from a noble family. Suspicion falls on the recently returned brothers.

During WWI a German agent receives an order to find out when the Russian army will carry out its expected attack against the German lines.

Sabine Heitmann, the young boss for the shipping company Heitmann, has become friends with Michael, the First Officer and Helmsman of the ship, the "Sabine Heitmann". He only knows Sabine by her first name and doesn't know that she's the boss. When he discovers the fact, however, he gets pissed and refuses to accept his promotion to Captain. Then the shipping company gets a lucrative offer: In a competition with another shipping company, they need to reach Baltimore in 18 days and pick up some freight. Whoever can move their rear ends faster, gets the very profitable contract from an American firm (correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't this sort of thing sink the Titanic?). Together with Michael, Sabine comes up with a plan, which should have them win the contest. The upshot? She wins back his heart and he becomes Captain.

The mustached ruler of a mythical principality, learning that his people dislike his spending so much time going hunting, allows his twin brother to take his place.

A stressed American millionaire is advised by his doctor to take some downtime and rest in the German countryside. The tycoon is so impressed that he buys an estate and turns it into a resort where other businessmen can take holidays from their stressful lives. In the process he falls in love with the estate's former owner.

A man swallows a diamond - and suddenly all people around him change their attitude towards him.

No synopsis available yet.

It is the dream of the fitter Heinrich Berger to be lord king … the general director of the auto plant where he works; and, in fact, he is put into that very position one day by the main shareholders of the company. With his invention of a new car engine, he manages to remove all the firm’s financial difficulties. In the end, the Lord King marries his secretary.

The stenotypist Margit is supposed to take 3,000 Marks to the bank for her boss, Mr. Plaumann, but she lazes away the time window-shopping, and eventually stands before a closed door. She follows Plaumann to Dresden, where he, believing the money is deposited in a bank as a down payment, wants to purchase a newfangled remote control from the inventor Lambach. Since Plaumann’s car breaks down on the road, Margit arrives before him and rests in the seemingly empty hotel room which later turns out to be Lambach’s. Meanwhile, Lambach himself is being spied on by the jealous cousin of his fiancée, who can’t wait to catch him in the act…

Consul Petersen and his wife are desperate, because they lost their only child and can’t have another. At the same time, the maid Anna is expecting a child, whose father, Jurgen, works in a sawmill. When both of them lose their jobs, they fear they won’t be able to feed the newborn. Thus, they strike a deal with the Petersens, which works for both couples: Anna and Jurgen will receive a farm from the Petersens, free and clear; and the two will allow the Petersens to adopt the child. Anna and Jurgen marry and are quite happy; but when the child is finally born, Anna doesn’t wish to surrender him and flees with the child into the Wattenmeer.

During a spectacular break-in at the villa of film star Marion Milner, the jewel thieves fortunately only manage to get their hands on imitations of the valuable jewelry. The police suspect the notorious master thief Silver-Jim, whom they have long been after. The commotion surrounding the break-in comes in quite handy for film producer Otto Pitt, who is currently shooting a crime film, as he hopes it will generate some free publicity for his project.

A pretty girl helps a popular Berlin policeman solve the murders of a woman he knew and the crooked banker the victim worked for.

After the tragic death from malaria of her beloved husband his rich widow Helga Vanroh travels restlessly around various Mediterranean countries. In the luxurious surroundings of a hotel in Monte Carlo Mrs. Vanroh keeps apart from society, until one evening she decides to visit the casino. There a young man attracts her curiosity and compassion.

A young woman leaves behind her job, home and family to try to make it in the movie business. Features cameos from about three dozen German film stars of the era.

No synopsis available yet.

Using an atomic reactor, two scientists try to create gold.

A professor is mistaken for a comedian and ends up in a vaudeville show.

The adventures of smart soldier Gustav Diestelbeck include managing his superior officer, competing for the canteneer's daughter, evading punishment for discipline faults and hosting Prinz Willibald during his visit to the regiment.

A retired rail official and his wife Amalie purchase a disused railroad wagon to convert it into a villa in the countryside. One day, Amalie discovers 25,000 Marks hidden behind a picture in the rail car. The money was put there by a Dutch couple, who tried to smuggle the money across the border during the train’s last journey. Sorely tempted to keep the money, Amalie turns it over to the authorities. The smugglers, who finally find the rail car after a long search, will be turned over to the cops, too.

In her last years, Louise is truly the Queen of Sorrows as she presides over a humiliating armistice with the French invaders.

No synopsis available yet.

No synopsis available yet.