Paula Wessely

Acting

Paula Wessely

Born 1907-01-20 · Vienna, Austria

Paula Anna Maria Wessely (20 January 1907 – 11 May 2000) was an Austrian theatre and film actress. Die Wessely (literally "The Wessely"), as she was affectionately called by her admirers and fans, was Austria's foremost popular postwar actress.

Acting credits

Such Great Foolishness poster
6.3

The young Styrian woman Therese Brandl desperately wants to work in the theater and therefore travels by train to Vienna to pursue artistic training. The scholarship granted by the elderly Countess Hoyer is intended to guarantee her financial independence. Unaware that she is to be picked up from the Vienna train station, the student immediately takes a taxi upon arrival and asks for recommendations for both an affordable hotel and a charming little pub. Therese gets approached by an older gentleman, a gray-haired bon vivant with considerable life experience. After several glasses of wine, they leave the establishment together and go to Therese's room. Apparently, things escalate there, and they spend the night together without having been introduced. The surprise is all the greater for Therese when she goes to the drama academy the following day to begin her training: her future teacher is none other than the gallant and lover from the previous night, Dr. Alexander Dahlen.

Such Great Foolishness

1937

Maria Ilona poster
5.7

In 1848, the freedom-loving Hungarian people, led by Ludwig Kossuth, rose up against the hated rule of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty. In its expansionist policy, the Austrian monarchy had long relied on Hungarian feudal lords who betrayed the interests of their people. The anger of the rebels was directed against the Austrian oppressors and their Hungarian supporters. Against the backdrop of these historical events, the personal fate of the Hungarian patriot Maria Ilona is shown.

Maria Ilona

1939

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Maria Stuart

1957

No artwork available
10.0

A drama about marriage in a small town, which takes place at the turn of the 19th into the 20th Century.

Späte Liebe

1943

Das Herz muß schweigen poster
6.0

On New Year's Eve 1900, Paul Holzgruber started a new praxis as a radiologist. The young Maximiliane Frey is his assistant and they have worked side by side for years helping people. Holzgruber repeatedly points out the dangers of radiation to Maximiliane, but is silent about the ulcers on his hand and the severe pain they have caused. Maximiliane has gotten to know the widower Axel von Bonin and has fallen in love with him. But then she is diagnosed with incurable cancer. To spare Axel the inevitable grief over her impending death, she leaves him and dedicates what is left her life to medicine.

Das Herz muß schweigen

1944

No artwork available
10.0

For thirty years Anna sat at the checkout in the supermarket; now she is retired and doesn't know what to do with her life. She drifts through Viennese museums and cafés until one day in the park she gets into a conversation with a group of bikers. And suddenly the old lady reveals quite unexpected talents ...

Glücksachen

1977

Cordula poster
6.0

No synopsis available yet.

Cordula

1950

No artwork available
5.4

A Nazi propaganda film which aims to justify the invasion of Poland by portraying the plight of ethnic Germans in Poland who were discriminated against and oppressed by the Poles, and how they were saved by the intervention of the German army.

Homecoming

1941

So Ended a Great Love poster
6.5

The political advisor to the French emperor Napoleon, and the Austrian emperor Franz I, arrange a marriage between Napoleon and the Austrian archduchess Marie-Luise in order to prevent another war.

So Ended a Great Love

1934

No artwork available
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Eine Frau ohne Bedeutung

1964

Die kluge Marianne poster
5.0

Peter, a writer, lives the life of a carefree bachelor, but soon gets to know a charming girl during a trip, falls in love with her, and marries her right away. Only after he returns to his elegant apartment in Vienna, does he start to wonder, whether Marianne will fit in amidst his circle of spoiled acquaintances. His well-meant advice on how she should behave makes Marianne so insecure, that she ends up acting quite clumsy and scares off his friends. Peter is angry and Marianne is so upset, that she wants to return back to her parents. On the way there, she has an experience, which shows her her mistake. She turns around and now strives to become an elegant lady of the world.

Die kluge Marianne

1943

Masquerade in Vienna poster
5.7

A risque drawing is published and threatens to compromise the model, a doctor's wife. Artist Heideneck protects her and invents a name. But the name exists, and this respectable lady is drawn into the artist's shady affairs.

Masquerade in Vienna

1934

Episode poster
5.5

Vienna, 1922. Due to a sudden financial tragedy, a young woman begins accepting checks from an older, rich gentleman for companionship in order for her to keep attending college. Their relationship is purely platonic, but eventually she begins a romance with the tutor of the older man's sons who has a completely wrong impression as to the nature of her arrangement with his employer.

Episode

1935

Ein Leben lang poster
8.0

In 1910, the landlord's daughter Agnes from the Steiermark gets to know the diplomat Hans. They have a short love affair and then part from one another. Hans gets sent to Beijing, where he marries and American and has a son with her. Agnes, too, has a son by Hans and moves to Vienna, where she works in a restaurant. She is still in love with Hans ...

Ein Leben lang

1940

Die unvollkommene Ehe poster
5.5

Divorce lawyer Dr. Winifred Lert tries to convince her daughter Susi of the futility of marriage. But Susi has long since married herself. Susi also wants to use trickery to bring her parents back together.

Die unvollkommene Ehe

1959

No artwork available
7.0

No synopsis available yet.

Der Unbestechliche

1984

Das weite Land poster
8.0

No synopsis available yet.

Das weite Land

1960

The Third Sex poster
5.0

Klaus is a young man in post-war Berlin. He is drawn to his friend Manfred and, under the encouragement of their acquaintance, Dr. Winkler, explore the underground world of gay clubs and electronic music. His family begins to learn of his other life and do everything they can to set him straight.

The Third Sex

1957

Leckerbissen poster
9.0

"Gems" - Embedded in a frame story, the film shows excerpts from 18 entertainment films of the time, among others, "The Gypsy Baron", "The Three Codonas", "La Habanera", "Viennese Blood", "Sophienlund", and "Mask in Blue".

Leckerbissen

1948

Ich und meine Frau poster
6.0

The conversion of a pedantic family tyrant into an understanding husband and father.

Ich und meine Frau

1953

Planet Arium poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Planet Arium

2025

Der große Zauberer - Max Reinhardt poster
9.0

"The Great Magician" - Max Reinhardt (1873-1943) was an Austrian theater and film director, director, theater producer and theater founder. With his Jedermann production on August 22, 1920, he founded the Salzburg Festival.

Der große Zauberer - Max Reinhardt

1973

The Angel with the Trumpet poster
6.1

A long time-span of Austrian history (from the late 19th century to the years after world war II) is reflected in the ups and downs of a family of piano-makers in Vienna.

The Angel with the Trumpet

1948

Everyman poster
8.0

Everyman (German: Jedermann) is a 1961 Austrian drama film directed by Gottfried Reinhardt, based on the play written by Hugo von Hofmannsthal. The film was selected as the Austrian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 34th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Everyman

1961

Behind the camera