'Lügen auf Rügen' would roughly translate into English as 'Scams Out of Bamboozles'. It's meant to be a light-hearted comedy. This film is somewhat idiotic, but -- in fairness -- it's no worse in this respect than a lot of Hollywood and British films of the same period.
The attractive Maria Solveg plays a farmer's daughter named Vanda Bilt. Can you see where this is heading? When her photograph is chosen in a contest for a toothpaste advertisement, she wins a holiday at a resort on the Baltic Sea. Fräulein Bilt's accommodations at a seaside boarding-house are arranged. So far, so good. Now it gets contrived.
The landlady of the resort hotel receives a 'phone call, telling her to expect the arrival of 'das Fräulein Vanda Bilt'. The landlady misinterprets this as 'das Fräulein Vanderbilt', and she assumes that an American millionairess is arriving. Naturally, the landlady tells everyone else. Naturally, when Vanda arrives -- suspecting nothing -- everyone falls about giving her the royal treatment, which she assumes is part of her toothpaste prize. Nobody wonders why an American heiress speaks German with a Berlin accent (which is inappropriate to Solveg's character, as she's playing a country girl).
SPOILERS COMING. Eventually, she meets Paul Hörbiger, who is attracted to Vanda but (thinking she's wealthy) dares not make a move for fear of being perceived a fortune-hunter. Of course, once the truth comes out, there's no impediment to romance. And it's all due to toothpaste.
This movie isn't as amusing as it thinks it is, but I did laugh at the antics of Ralph Arthur Roberts and Otto Wallburg as the partners in the toothpaste company. One of them is in charge of brushing the upper teeth, the other one brushes the lower teeth. (No, I made that up ... but it's as funny as anything in this movie.)
I'm intrigued that quite a few German movies of the early thirties -- another one is 'Ferien vom Ich', made in 1934 after Hitler's premiership had begun -- have plots involving American millionaires, and always treating Americans (especially rich ones) admiringly. Of course, Germany was struggling with terrible economic problems at this time (one reason why Hitler's drastic policies were welcomed), and it's understandable that Germans would be attracted to wealth. Still, these German films seem genuinely to admire and appreciate Americans, rather than regarding them as fat pigeons for the Herrenvolk to pluck. I was in a good mood when I saw this mildly amusing film, and I'll rate 'Lügen auf Rügen' 6 out of 10.
The attractive Maria Solveg plays a farmer's daughter named Vanda Bilt. Can you see where this is heading? When her photograph is chosen in a contest for a toothpaste advertisement, she wins a holiday at a resort on the Baltic Sea. Fräulein Bilt's accommodations at a seaside boarding-house are arranged. So far, so good. Now it gets contrived.
The landlady of the resort hotel receives a 'phone call, telling her to expect the arrival of 'das Fräulein Vanda Bilt'. The landlady misinterprets this as 'das Fräulein Vanderbilt', and she assumes that an American millionairess is arriving. Naturally, the landlady tells everyone else. Naturally, when Vanda arrives -- suspecting nothing -- everyone falls about giving her the royal treatment, which she assumes is part of her toothpaste prize. Nobody wonders why an American heiress speaks German with a Berlin accent (which is inappropriate to Solveg's character, as she's playing a country girl).
SPOILERS COMING. Eventually, she meets Paul Hörbiger, who is attracted to Vanda but (thinking she's wealthy) dares not make a move for fear of being perceived a fortune-hunter. Of course, once the truth comes out, there's no impediment to romance. And it's all due to toothpaste.
This movie isn't as amusing as it thinks it is, but I did laugh at the antics of Ralph Arthur Roberts and Otto Wallburg as the partners in the toothpaste company. One of them is in charge of brushing the upper teeth, the other one brushes the lower teeth. (No, I made that up ... but it's as funny as anything in this movie.)
I'm intrigued that quite a few German movies of the early thirties -- another one is 'Ferien vom Ich', made in 1934 after Hitler's premiership had begun -- have plots involving American millionaires, and always treating Americans (especially rich ones) admiringly. Of course, Germany was struggling with terrible economic problems at this time (one reason why Hitler's drastic policies were welcomed), and it's understandable that Germans would be attracted to wealth. Still, these German films seem genuinely to admire and appreciate Americans, rather than regarding them as fat pigeons for the Herrenvolk to pluck. I was in a good mood when I saw this mildly amusing film, and I'll rate 'Lügen auf Rügen' 6 out of 10.
