Die Grausame Freundin (1932)
Directed by Karel Lamac
Run Time - 73 min. |
Countries - Germany |
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Die Grausame Freundin was one of the last cinematic collaborations between director Carl Lamac and his actress-wife Anny Ondra. The title translates as The Cruel Girl Friend, a description that really doesn't fit the winsome heroine. But to keep her boyfriend in line, Ondra pretends to be a shrewish shrike, and the strategy works beautifully. By 1932, films like Die Grausame Freundin were a dime a dozen, but German audiences continued to eat them up. Within a few years, the "cruel girlfriend" would be the "cruel ex-wife" when Anny Ondra left Carl Lamac and married heavyweight boxing champion Max Schmeling.