The Temporary Widow

The Temporary Widow
Directed by	Gustav Ucicky
Written by	Karl Hartl Walter Reisch Benn Levy
Based on	Hokuspokus 1926 play byCurt Goetz
Produced by	Erich Pommer Günther Stapenhorst
Starring	Lilian Harvey Laurence Olivier Athole Stewart
Cinematography	Carl Hoffmann
Music by	Robert Stolz
Production company	UFA
Distributed by	Wardour Films
Release date	15 November 1930(1930-11-15)
Running time	84 minutes
Countries	United Kingdom Germany
Language	English

The Temporary Widowis a 1930 British-Germancomedy film,an English-languageparallel versiondirected byGustav Ucickyand starring Anglo-German actress and singerLilian Harvey,Laurence Olivierin his first film role, andAthole Stewart.

After unsuccessful painter Paul Kellermann has disappeared, interest in his paintings rises, until his soft-spoken widow Kitty Kellermann is accused of murdering her husband by drowning him in a lake. A mysterious person warns the court president Grandt that somebody wants to kill him, and he sends a telegram to his friend and lawyer to come for support. The night before the court session that likely will sentence her, a surprise visitor shows up at night and seemingly provides ample evidence that his friend and lawyer, knowing about the terms in the testament, has the intention to take advantage of that, having bought a ticket well before he received the telegram. After making his point that things are not always as they may seem, as simplesleight of hand"hocus-pocus"tricks and a forged date on a ticket apparently had convinced the judge within minutes that his long-term friend has evil intentions, the visitor declares that he is Peter Bille, a former circus artist, illusionist, speed painter, trick shooter, escape artist, and jurist, and that he will defend poor and innocent Mrs. Kellermann because her lawyer has stepped down.

The film sets were designed by the art directors Robert Herlth and Walter Röhrig. Both films versions were shot at the Babelsberg Studios.

The films were based on the playHokuspokuswritten in 1926 byCurt Goetz,but use different role names, e.g. Kitty Kellermann instead of the original Danish-sounding Agda Kjerulf. TheGerman languageversionHokuspokuswas made at the same time starringWilly Fritsch,the English-language version was given a differing title though, referring to one of the paintings. After the war, directorKurt Hoffmannfilmed two further versionsin 1953 (starring Curt Goetz himself alongside his wife),andin 1966in color.

Cast

• Lilian Harveyas Kitty Kellermann
• Laurence Olivieras Peter Bille
• Athole Stewartas President of the Court of Justice
• Gillian Dean as Witness Anny Sedal
• Frank Stanmoreas Witness Kulicke
• Felix Aylmeras Public Prosecutor
• Frederick Lloydas Counsel for the Defense
• Henry Caine as Councillor Lindberg

External links

• The Temporary WidowatIMDb