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Peter, a poor charcoal burner, seeks help from forest spirits to gain wealth and marry Lisbeth. After losing his fortune gambling, he trades his heart for riches with an evil giant, but questions if a stone heart can bring happiness.

A police officer meets a girl who is near to falling into the net of shady individuals. To prevent this, he invites her into the police station and tells her a story.

A grocery store clerk turns prizefighter to win prize money to bail his drunken father out of jail.

Hans, an idle young man, must find a way to reach his beloved one against her rich father's firm opposition. He finds it through enamoring Katharina, the scullery maid, a simple and straight young girl.

A girl from a boarding school finds a baby and has to keep it because she seems to be the real mother to everyone.

A hated and bully patriarch is murdered. The investigating judge falls in love and marries the daughter, and then she confesses to have killed. Did she? Or she was protecting some one?

Last days of WWII. English and American agents head to Berlin for secret negotiations with nazi leaders.

During the Russian Civil War, the Reds and the Whites clashed over possession of the former capital.

From amazing shrines to the modern metropolis. India in the 1950's - in color - by the photographer Claude Renoir.

A biography of Johann Friedrich Böttger, who in 1709 invented the first white porcelain in Europe. The apprentice apothecary and assistant to a "gold producer" fled from the Prussian King - into Saxony. But there he finds King Frederick August the Strong after him: the young man is told to produce gold for the king, and is thus brought to a fortress and equipped with everything he would need for the task. Naturally, Böttger has known for a while that actual gold production is a myth and instead experiments with porcelain; it should be as white as it is in China, he figures. Once he finally succeeds in surprising the King with the "white gold," he vainly hopes for freedom... a tragic error.

Robert Lanier, a man with a doubtful past, disembarks clandestinely in Le Havre decided to rebuild his life. Johnny, an orphaned young acrobat, takes him for his father and presents him to the seductive Gaby, his best friend.

Franz Schubert works for his father as a teacher. But his true passion is writing music like his role model Beethoven.

Famous composer Millöcker saves lovesick clerk Ferdinand from killing himself and helps him impress and get close to Henriette, the rich heiress the boy adores. But one day Ferdinand overhears Millöcker confessing his own love to the girl.

For the corpulent nobleman, Sir John Falstaff, the inn in the small English town of Windsor is the best of all places. Here he can indulge in excessive dining and intemperate drinking, as well as swagger and boast about his adventures, particularly those of an amorous nature. At present, he has designs on the two young women, Mistress Reich and Fluth, who, in turn, lead our paunchy hero mightily by the nose. Mistress Reich indeed has much to deal with: her pretty daughter, Anna, has no lack of suitors and the parents cannot agree on who the future son-in-law should be. Anna, however, has already made her choice: she wants to marry young Master Fenton, a match which fails to suit her parents' plans. She plans a clandestine wedding ceremony in the forest. But it so happens that the townspeople join forces on the same night to sour stout Falstaff's life in Windsor and to drive him out of town. To pull off this dirty trick, Mistresses Reich and Fluth arrange yet another rendezvous with Falstaff in the forest at midnight. The citizens disguise themselves and now appear to the love-sick Sir John as ghosts. This is more than he can take and, horror-stricken, he flees Windsor forever. This musical masterpiece was questioned by the SED prior to its release due to the film's portrayal of societal relations. Great comedic performances.

Crossover love during the Carnival of Venice. Annina, a fisher girl, is in love with Coramello, the personal barber and handyman of the Duke of Urbino, but she suspects that he cheats on her. On the other hand, old senator Delaqua, who hopes for a better position from the Duke, hides his young wife Barbara from him, insofar as Urbino is an unrepentant Don Juan. But he sends him Ciboletta, his servant, whom he introduces to him as his wife. Many other trysts take place and, of course, confusion ensues - until a happy ending in which the right couples find each other again.

The story of a Soviet Cinderella

An adaptation of the 1915 operetta Die Csárdásfürstin (also known as Silva ) composed by Emmerich Kalman. Silva Varescu gives a farewell performance in front of the emerging tours in America.