Late nineteenth century. Young Kohana is sent to Yoshiwara, a suburb of Tokyo where exercise the profession of geisha. Read More »
Tag Archives: Max Ophüls
Flirtation AKA Liebelei (1933) Max Ophüls, Paul Hörbiger, Magda Schneider, Luise Ullrich
Vienna in the beginning of the twentieth century. Cavalry Lieutenant Fritz Lobheimer is about to end his affair Read More »
The Reckless Moment (1949) Max Ophüls, James Mason, Joan Bennett, Geraldine Brooks
In the charming community of Balboa 50 miles from Los Angeles, middle-class housewife Lucia Harper Read More »
The Earrings of Madame De… (1953) Max Ophüls, Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, Vittorio De Sica
In the Paris of the late 19th century, Louise, wife of a general, sells the earrings her husband gave her as a wedding gift: she needs money to cover her debts. Read More »
The Trouble with Money (1936) Max Ophüls, Herman Bouber, Rini Otte, Matthieu van Eysden
When bank messenger Brand realises that 50,000 pounds sterling have gone missing in Amsterdam, it is a catastrophe for him. Read More »
Lola Montès (1955) Max Ophüls, Martine Carol, Peter Ustinov, Anton Walbrook
The film tells the tragic story of Lola Montès, a great adventurer who becomes the main attraction Read More »
La Ronde (1950) Max Ophüls, Anton Walbrook, Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani
An all-knowing interlocutor guides us through a series of affairs in Vienna, 1900. Read More »
Caught (1949) Max Ophüls, James Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert Ryan
It was Leonora Eames’ childhood dream come true. She had married Smith Ohlrig, a man worth millions. Read More »
Divine (1935) Max Ophüls, Simone Berriau, George Rigaud, Gina Manès
Ludivine Jarisse is a young woman who lives a contented but unexciting life in the country. Read More »
La Tendre ennemie / The Tender Enemy (1936) Max Ophüls, Simone Berriau, Catherine Fonteney, Laure Diana, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Two ghosts attend an engagement party, unseen by the other guests. One ghost, Dupont, is the father of the bride-to-be. Read More »
Le plaisir (1952) Max Ophüls, Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, Simone Simon, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Three stories about the pleasure. The first one is about a man hiding his age behind a mask to keep going to balls and fancying women – pleasure and youth. Read More »
The Exile (1947) Max Ophüls, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Maria Montez, Rita Corday, Adventure, Romance
Maria Montez was accorded top billing in this film by contractual agreement, although she is in the picture only long enough to take a bath in a tricky 17th century Read More »
La signora di tutti / Everybody’s Woman (1934) Max Ophüls, Isa Miranda, Memo Benassi, Tatyana Pavlova, Drama
Gaby is expelled from school after a married teacher commits suicide after telling her he can’t live without her. Though she has done nothing, she is punished for his act.
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De Mayerling à Sarajevo / From Mayerling to Sarajevo (1940) Max Ophüls, Edwige Feuillère, John Lodge, Aimé Clariond, Drama
In the late 1800’s, Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian empire, falls for Sophie Chotek, a Czech countess. He’s already a problem to the Crown because of his political ideas; this love affair with someone not of royal blood breeches protocol. The Crown allows the union only after the couple agrees to a morganatic marriage. The emperor further neutralizes Franz by making him inspector general of the army, sending him afield for months at a time. In June of 1914, fearing for his safety, Sophie seeks permission to accompany Franz to Sarajevo; protocol dictates that no army troops attend Franz while she is present. An assassin strikes. Their deaths spark World War I.
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Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) Max Ophüls, Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Mady Christians, Drama, Romance
In Vienna, about 1900, a dashing man arrives at his flat, instructing his manservant that he will leave before morning: the man is Stefan Brand, formerly a concert pianist, planning to leave Vienna to avoid a duel. His servant gives him a letter from an unknown woman, which he reads. In flashbacks we see the lifelong passion of Lisa Berndle for him: first as a girl who was his neighbor; next as a young woman who, in secret, has his child; then as a mature woman who meets him again and abandons husband and son to be with him. Each time he does not remember who she is or that they have ever met. By morning, he has finished the letter, and her husband awaits satisfaction.
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