April 1, 2000

A noble family that fled Silesia during World War II sets out to build a new life in the Bavarian Forest, but their efforts are threatened by the heir’s worldly ambitions—until he comes to realize his true calling and finds his true love.

For more than 50 years, Pauline Neuber has directed the "Olympia" theatre, but lately, business has been bad. It appears that no one will be able to make it better either: the audience doesn't seem to like the plays; the press even less so; and the shareholders of the theatre want to sell their shares. In short, the "Olympia" has one foot in the grave. Erich, grandchild of Pauline and always underestimated by her, gets to know Hella Bergson, the daughter of the theatre critic Peter Bergson, and falls in love with her - but doesn't have an idea whose daughter she is. He plays her some melodies from the first operetta he's ever composed and Hella convinces him to have the operetta performed in the "Olympia". During rehearsal of the operetta, however, a fight breaks out between Erich and Hella over a stupid misunderstanding.

A live-action six-part West German/French adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure novel. Although not directly faithful, it is a highly liberal and stylised re-imagining that blends the pirate adventure with the popular genre of the time: the Euro-Western. In place of the novel's 18th-century setting is a distinct 19th-century 'Wild West' with cowboy style wardrobe and firearms. The central premise remains: a young man, Jim Hawkins, comes into possession of a treasure map and embarks on a voyage to a remote island.

Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn live in a small town on the Mississippi River above St. Louis. Tom is raised by his Aunt Polly, with whom he lives together with his brother Sid. Huckleberry, known as Huck, is homeless and does not go to school—his father is an alcoholic and has been missing for some time, with many believing him to be dead. But Tom and Huck are friends—and will remain so, come what may.

Frank Engelmann is an entrepreneur who takes on unusual jobs. For example, he steps in as a circus performer, a dressman, an actor, a party guest, or a guardian of valuable jewelry—in short, a "man for all occasions."

Shortly before the First World War, the son of a Prague butcher is called up for military service in the Austro-Hungarian Army of Emperor Franz Joseph, proving to be a very incompetent recruit.

Die Abenteuer des braven Soldaten Schwejk is an Austrian television series. Schwejk is a bumbling fool (he claims to have been discharged from the army on the grounds of being a certified idiot) but manages to outwit his superiors and his arch nemesis, the secret policeman "Bretschneider" with hilarious results. Set during the first world war, it follow Schwejks adventures as a recruit in the Austro-Hungarian army.

After meeting up with a charming blonde and her female orchestra on a Danube river steamer, a nobleman who had aspired toward the classics turns to popular music instead.

The First World War. The young, English Lieutenant Raleigh is sent to the company of a disillusioned Captain Stanhope. Stanhope is secretly engaged to Raleigh's sister and is intent on protecting his image of an exemplary officer. An attack on the German lines, in which Raleigh also takes part, has turned into a bloody fiasco. Now Raleigh, too, knows the horrors of war, which have already taken their toll on Stanhope.

As a gang of classy jewel thieves hop from one European country to another, an engineer rescues a woman from their clutches.

Lisa's marriage is all in all quite happy; unfortunately, her husband never listens to her when it comes to buying new things. To change this situation, she fakes a loss of memory and pretends not to know who her husband is. When he calls the young psychiatrist Dr. Spinelski for help, Lisa acts, as if she believes he is her husband; and as part of the therapy, Spinelski makes sure that Lisa gets everything she wants. Finally, Lisa comes to the conclusion that she'd rather have her real husband and so pretends to fall for him, whereupon they start a new life together. I'll remember to try that the next time I'm not allowed to buy some beer.