Movie Listings by Genre

Director: Mark Donskoy    More Info
Starring: Nikolai Valbert, Stepan Kayukov, Nikolai Dorokhin, Nikolai Plotnikov, Lev Sverdlin, Daniil Sagal, Vladimir Maruta, Irina Fedotova, M. Povolotsky, Pavel Shpringfeld

 In Donskoy's final episode of Gorky's trilogy, Maxim Gorky (Nikolai Valbert) has, with difficulty, made it through his youthful years. He takes a job in a shipyard, enjoying his time of drinking and philosophizing with his co-workers. The depiction of the poor people in the streets during the late 19th century is vivid as Gorky finds his own freedom.

Director: Luchino Visconti    More Info
Starring: Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti, Juan de Landa, Elio Marcuzzo, Dhia Cristiani, Vittorio Duse, Michele Riccardini, Michele Sakara

 An unhappily married woman (Clara Calamai) has an affair with a mechanic (Massimo Girotti) and cajoles him into murdering her husband.

Director: Carl Theodor Dreyer    More Info
Starring: Thorkild Roose, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam, Preben Lerdorff-Rye, Anna Svierkier, Albert Hoeberg, Olaf Ussing

 This excellent story is set in a Danish village in the 17th century, and is based on actual witch trials. An old woman is burned at the stake after being sentenced by a pastor. She shouts accusations concerning the pastor as the burning starts. True to the accusations, when the old pastor's young wife starts an affair with the pastor's son, tragedy follows.

Director: Julien Duvivier    More Info
Starring: Raimu, Louis Jouvet, Michele Morgan, Suzy Prim, Renee Devillers, Jean Mercanton, Georges Biscot, Colette Darfeuil, Rene Bergeron, Rene Genin

 Events in the lives of Froment family members–throughout 70 years, from 1871 to 1940–are chronicled in this film, which was smuggled out of France and into the U.S. where it was dubbed and released in 1943. Narrated by Charles Boyer.

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot    More Info
Starring: Pierre Fresnay, Pierre Larquey, Ginette Leclerc, Helena Manson, Noel Roquevert, Antoine Balpetre, Micheline Francey, Jeanne Fusier-Gir, Sylvie, Liliane Maigne

 This film was controversial because it was paid for by the Nazis during World War II. It was remade in the United States under the title, "The 13th Letter." The plot involves inhabitants of a small French town who become upset when poison-pen letters begin to arrive revealing their hidden pasts.

Director: Josef von Baky    More Info
Starring: Hans Albers, Brigitte Horney, Wilhelm Bendow, Michael Bohnen, Ferdinand Marian, Hans Brausewetter, Hermann Speelmans, Marina von Ditmar, Andrews Engelmann, Kathe Haack

 Produced in Nazi Germany, this film was scripted by Erich Kaestner who used an alias because his writing was banned. The story revolves around the fabulous adventures of the eccentric Baron Munchhausen (Hans Albers) who is granted immortality and the ability to make his dreams come true when he makes a deal with magician Count Cagliostro (Ferdinand Marian). The Baron tells his story to Sophie Von Riedesel (Marina von Ditmar), and it involves an affair with Russia's Catherine the Great, riding a cannonball into the middle of a battle, and even visiting the moon–where he finally questions the price of his deal with Count Cagliostro.

Director: Werner Klingler    More Info
Starring: Sybille Schmitz, Hans Nielsen, Kirsten Heiberg, Ernst Fritz Furbringer, Karl Schonbock, Charlotte Thiele, Otto Wernicke, Franz Schatheitlin, Sepp Rist, Theodor Loos

 This German propaganda version of the sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic places the blame squarely on the British, Americans, and Jews. An interesting look at the Nazi depiction of anti-English sentiment.

Director: Vittorio De Sica    More Info
Starring: Emilio Cigoli, Luciano De Ambrosis, Isa Pola, Adriano Rimoldi, Giovanna Cigoli, Jone Frigerio, Maria Gardena, Dina Perbellini, Nicoletta Parodi, Tecla Scarano

 This story about a young mother (Isa Pola) deserting her husband (Emilio Cigoli) and four-year-old son (Luciano De Ambrosis) and running off with her lover (Adriano Rimoldi) is often told through the young son's perspective as he reacts to his mother's relationship with a man he really does not know.

Director: Alf Sjoberg    More Info
Starring: Stig Jarrel, Alf Kjellin, Mai Zetterling, Gosta Cederlund, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Olaf Winnerstrand, Hugo Bjorne, Stig Olin, Olav Riego, Marta Arbin

 A young couple, Jan Erik (Alf Kjellin) and Bertha (Mai Zetterling), is hassled by stern Latin teacher Caligula (Stig Jarrel) in this story about adolescents finding their way in the cold, cruel world.

Director: Marcel Carne    More Info
Starring: Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur, Gaston Modot, Maria Casares, Marcel Peres, Pierre Renoir, Louis Salou, Fabien Loris, Palau

 Three men–Baptiste (Jean-Louis Barrault), Frederick (Pierre Brasseur), and Count de Montray (Louis Salou)–are all in love with the beautiful actress, Garance (Arletty), in this excellent film about class-systems and the theater world of 1840s' France.

Director: Sergei M. Eisenstein    More Info
Starring: Nikolai Cherkasov, Ludmila Tselikovskaya, Serafima Birman, Pavel Kadochnikov, Mikhail Zharov, Aleksei Buchma

 This historical drama by Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein was commissioned by Joseph Stalin as inspiration for his cause. It is the story of Russian Czar Ivan IV's (Nikolai Cherkasov) efforts to unify his country in the 16th century and make it a significant force in the world. The film took two years to complete and portrays Ivan in a not altogether flattering way. This is indicative of how the Stalinist regime had relaxed its ideological artistic standards. Completed in 1943, the film was not released until 1945. Part Two was completed in 1946, but was not released until 1958, after Stalin's death, since Director Sergei M. Eisenstein (who died in 1948) had fallen from favor.

Director: Robert Bresson    More Info
Starring: Maria Casares, Elina Labourdette, Paul Bernard, Lucienne Bogaert, Yvette Etievant, Jean Marchat, Bernard La Jarrige, Lucy Lancy, Marguerite De Morlaye, Blanchette Brunoy

 Helene (Maria Casares) recognizes that her lover, Jean (Paul Bernard), is losing interest in her and, to regain his interest, she suggests a breakup. She is shocked when he agrees, and now it's revenge time. Helene introduces him to a prostitute, Agnes (Elina Labourdette), not telling him about Agnes' "profession." The new lovers hit it off, and Helene, after the marriage, tells Jean about Agnes. The results are not what Helene wanted.

Director: Rene Clement    More Info
Starring: Jean Clarieux, Jean Daurand, Jacques Desagneaux, Tony Laurent, Robert Le Ray, Redon, Leon Pauleon, Fernand Rauzena, Pierre Lozach, Charles Boyer

 French railroad workers participate in organized resistance in Rene Clement's neo-realistic film for which he used real locations as well as those who had actually participated in the sabotage against the Nazis during the World War II occupation.

Director: Jean Cocteau    More Info
Starring: Jean Marais, Josette Day, Marcel Andre, Nane Germon, Mila Parely, Michel Auclair, Raoul Marco, Jean Cocteau, Christian Marquand, Gilles Watteaux

 As the third daughter, young Belle (Josette Day) is exploited by her family and works as their servant. One day, a Beast (Jean Marais) appears and threatens Belle's father (Marcel Andre) with death unless he gives up one of his daughters. Belle sacrifices herself and goes to the castle with the Beast. After much wooing, Belle falls in love with the bewitching Beast who gives her a key and tells her that if she fails to return it to him he will die of grief.

Director: Maurice Saurel    More Info
Starring: Pierre Fresnay, Fernand Ledoux, Andree Clement, Therese Dorny, Albert Remy, Serge Andrehuy, Albert Glado, Francois Patrice, Felix Claude, Paul Frankeur

 Bank robber Saget (Pierre Fresnay) assumes the identity of a dead millionaire and arrives in the dead man's boyhood home to make a killing. But the local doctor knows the truth, and the town's vamp, Isabelle (Andree Clement), complicates matters when she falls for Saget.

Director: Emilio Fernandez    More Info
Starring: Maria Felix, Pedro Armendariz, Fernando Fernandez, Jose Morcillo, Eduardo Arozamena, Miguel Inclan, Manuel Donde, Eugenio Rossi, Norma Hill, Juan Garcia

 Set during the Mexican Revolution, this is the story of a revolutionary general (Pedro Armendariz) who is sworn to kill all aristocrats. He meets the beautiful daughter (Maria Felix) of an aristocrat. Not only does the general not harm her, he grows to love her, while she changes from hatred of him to love.

Director: Wolfgang Staudte    More Info
Starring: Hildegarde Neff, Ernst Borchert, Arno Paulsen, Erna Sellmer, Robert Forsch, Albert Johannes, Elly Burgmer, Hilde Adolphi, Marlise Ludwig, Ursula Krieg

 Shot in the ruins of the Russian Sector of Berlin shortly after World War II, this is the story of Dr. Hans Mertens who is tormented by his role in the concentration camps during the war. He roams the burned-out streets of Berlin in drunken anguish. His girlfriend (Hildegard Neff) convinces him to turn in his captain who committed atrocities, and his crusade to bring the captain to justice serves to heal his wounds to some extent.

Director: Roberto Rossellini    More Info
Starring: Edmund Moeschke, Franz-Otto Kruger, Ernst Pittschau, Erich Guhne, Alexandra Manys, Ingetraud Hintze, Babsi Schultz-Reckewell, Hans Sangen, Hedi Blankner, Franz von Treuberg

 Twelve-year-old Edmund (Edmund Moeschke) struggles in post-World War II Berlin to feed himself and his family–a near-death father, a brother (an ex-Nazi soldier in hiding), and a sister (a prostitute). While scavenging for food and goods to sell, he comes across a former teacher who has his own plans for Edmund, including propaganda and sex. This is the final film of Rossellini's World War II trilogy–following "Open City" and "Paisan."

Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot    More Info
Starring: Suzy Delair, Bernard Blier, Louis Jouvet, Simone Renant, Charles Dullin, Rene Blancard, Pierre Larquey, Jean Daurand, Claudine Dupuis, Robert Dalban

 Singer Jenny Lamour (Suzy Delair) yearns to be a star and consorts with a rich "dirty old man" to get ahead, which makes her husband, Maurice (Bernard Blier), jealous. Maurice even goes to the man's estate with a gun, finds the man already killed, and also finds that Jenny had smashed a bottle of champagne over the man's head when he had made a sexual advance. Thus, this excellent Hitchcock-like mystery begins with Maurice being the prime suspect.

Director: Maurice Cloche    More Info
Starring: Pierre Fresnay, Aime Clariond, Jean Debucourt, Lise Delamare, Germaine Dermoz, Gabrielle Dorziat, Yvonne Gaudeau, Jean Carmet, Pierre Dux, Michel Bouquet

 During Europe's epidemic of the bubonic plague–the Black Death–Vincent de Paul (Pierre Fresnay) struggles to help the French peasants and their nobility deal with the tragedy in their midst. He is canonized for his efforts. This biography received an Honorary Oscar for Outstanding Foreign Language Film.

Director: Vittorio De Sica    More Info
Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Gino Saltamerenda, Vittorio Antonucci, Guilio Chiari, Sergio Leone, Elena Altieri, Carlo Jachino, Michele Sakara

 This film has consistently placed high in polls asking for the greatest films of all time. Set during the Great Depression, the plot involves the plight of Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) who has finally landed a job but needs his bike to deliver posters. As luck would have it, on his first day of work someone steals the bike. As Antonio takes his son, Bruno (Enzo Staiola), through Rome in search of the bicycle, father and son bond–despite their entrapment in poverty. Winner of an Honorary Academy Award for Best Foreign film.

Director: Christian-Jaque    More Info
Starring: Renee Faure, Gerard Philipe, Maria Casares, Louis Salou, Lucien Coedel, Tullio Carminati, Aldo Silvani, Maria Michi, Claudio Gora, Louis Seigner

 Romance is more important to Archbishop Fabrice del Dongo (Gerard Philipe) than his church, and problems lie ahead for him and his lover, Duchess Gina de San Severina (Maria Casares).

Director: Akira Kurosawa    More Info
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Reisaburo Yamamoto, Michiyo Kogure, Chieko Nakakita, Noriko Sengoku, Shizuko Kasagi, Eitaro Shindo, Masao Shimizu, Chouko Iida

 Following World War II, Dr. Sanada (Takashi Shimura) operates a clinic in the slums of Tokyo. Sanada is an alcoholic, but when he treats young gangster Matsunaga (Toshiro Mifune) for tuberculosis, Sanada recognizes that in order to perform his duties successfully, he must get his life in order. The two men engage in a love-hate relationship as their needs cause each man to become dependent on the other.

Director: Luchino Visconti    More Info
Starring: Luchino Visconti, Antonio Pietrangeli, Antonio Arcidiacono

 This powerful documentary-style film portrays the plight of the poor fishermen of a Sicilian town who are exploited by the fish marketers. One man attempts to convince the villagers to fight back. This was to be the first of a series of films highlighting the plight of workers, but Visconti did not continue the series.

Director: Ingmar Bergman    More Info
Starring: Mai Zetterling, Birger Malmsten, Olaf Winnerstrand, Naima Wifstrand, Hilda Borgstrom, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bengt Eklund, Bibi Skoglund, Douglas Hage, Ake Claesson

 Blind pianist Bengt Vyidecke (Birger Malmsten) finds love and happiness with his former friend Ingrid (Mai Zetterling) and eventually marries her.