SYNOPSIS: A movie of mistaken identities: Paul Hörbiger plays the wealthy owner of a shoe factory who almost cracks under the pressure at his office. He decides to give himself a break by motoring in the country. Unfortunately, while he is sleeping by a stream, his luxurious car is most cleverly substituted (my hat's off to von Wohl and d'Haussonville) by a rusty old wreck. A down-and-out (Heinz Rühmann) who travels the countryside with his monkey and dog, making a precarious living doing magic tricks, now has the tycoon's car, while the tycoon is forced to drive the down-and-out's. But never mind, this turns out to be a blessing in disguise. For who does the tycoon run into but a friendly old schoolmate (Ludwig Stossel)! Needless to say, the schoolmate has a daughter. And needless to add, said daughter is played by the super-talented and most adorable Luise Ullrich. Meanwhile, because he is driving a luxuriously expensive car, the down-and-out, of course, is mistaken for
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COMMENT: "Return to Good Fortune" is an utterly charming, romantically fanciful, altogether delightful and most wonderful movie that thoroughly deserves its place at the top of any DVD collector's must-have list. And it has songs too, headed by the super tuneful "Das Glück" by Eduard Künneke (music) and Richard Kessler (lyrics). In fact, Stossel and Hörbiger sing it right through on no less than two occasions and, if I remember correctly, the lovely Luise Ullrich joins them for the first rendition.
And speaking of Luise, put me down as a charter member of her fan club. She is not what you would call a glamour girl. She wears no slinky clothes and speaks with no come-hither voice. She is no bean-pole like the two-timing Frau Gruber – compellingly enacted by Erika Falgar – although her features are likewise a little irregular. But she is beautiful through and through. Charismatic is the word. She has charisma – in spades!
In fact, all the players serve their roles powerfully well, with the possible exception of Heinz Rühmann. His role in Ich under die Kaiserin was much better suited to his talents. Here he seems not only somewhat miscast but he tends to be upstaged by everyone he comes into contact with – including not only his traveling companions (the dog and the monkey) but Paul Heidemann (who is simply forcing himself to be nice to his eccentric employer).
Paul Boese directs this joyful excursion with a sure but stylishly unobtrusive hand. I see, among his lengthy credits the 1939 Hallo Janine, starring the lovely Marika Rökk. That also is a movie of switched identities!
COMMENT: "Return to Good Fortune" is an utterly charming, romantically fanciful, altogether delightful and most wonderful movie that thoroughly deserves its place at the top of any DVD collector's must-have list. And it has songs too, headed by the super tuneful "Das Glück" by Eduard Künneke (music) and Richard Kessler (lyrics). In fact, Stossel and Hörbiger sing it right through on no less than two occasions and, if I remember correctly, the lovely Luise Ullrich joins them for the first rendition.
And speaking of Luise, put me down as a charter member of her fan club. She is not what you would call a glamour girl. She wears no slinky clothes and speaks with no come-hither voice. She is no bean-pole like the two-timing Frau Gruber – compellingly enacted by Erika Falgar – although her features are likewise a little irregular. But she is beautiful through and through. Charismatic is the word. She has charisma – in spades!
In fact, all the players serve their roles powerfully well, with the possible exception of Heinz Rühmann. His role in Ich under die Kaiserin was much better suited to his talents. Here he seems not only somewhat miscast but he tends to be upstaged by everyone he comes into contact with – including not only his traveling companions (the dog and the monkey) but Paul Heidemann (who is simply forcing himself to be nice to his eccentric employer).
Paul Boese directs this joyful excursion with a sure but stylishly unobtrusive hand. I see, among his lengthy credits the 1939 Hallo Janine, starring the lovely Marika Rökk. That also is a movie of switched identities!
