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Douglas Sirk
Director 1897 - 1987

Douglas Sirk

Hamburg, Germany

Douglas Sirk (born Hans Detlef Sierck; April 26, 1897 – January 14, 1987) was a German film director best known for his work in Hollywood melodramas in the 1950s.

Directed Films

Every film this person directed

31 titles
Imitation of Life

Imitation of Life

Douglas Sirk 1959 2h 5m 8.3

In 1940s New York, a white widow who dreams of being on Broadway has a chance encounter with a black single mother, who becomes her maid.

A Time to Love and a Time to Die

A Time to Love and a Time to Die

Douglas Sirk 1958 2h 12m 8.2

1944. Alors qu'il revient dans sa ville natale pour une permission de trois semaines, Ernst Graeber, jeune soldat allemand envoyé sur le front russe, rencontre Elisabeth Kruse, dont il tombe amoureux. Mais la guerre qui continue va bouleverser leur histoire...

The Tarnished Angels

The Tarnished Angels

Douglas Sirk 1957 1h 31m 7.6

Story of a friendship between an eccentric journalist and a daredevil barnstorming pilot.

Interlude

Interlude

Douglas Sirk 1957 1h 30m 3.0

A young woman touring Germany is caught between a married symphony conductor and a doctor from back home.

Battle Hymn

Battle Hymn

Douglas Sirk 1957 1h 49m 6.0

Dean Hess, who entered the ministry to atone for bombing a German orphanage, decides he’s a failure at preaching. Rejoined to train pilots early in the Korean War, he finds Korean orphans raiding the airbase garbage. With a pretty Korean teacher, he sets up an orphanage for them and others.

Written on the Wind

Written on the Wind

Douglas Sirk 1956 1h 39m 8.3

Mitch Wayne is a geologist working for the Hadleys, an oil-rich Texas family. While the patriarch, Jasper, works hard to establish the family business, his irresponsible son, Kyle, is an alcoholic playboy, and his daughter, Marylee, is the town tramp.

There's Always Tomorrow

There's Always Tomorrow

Douglas Sirk 1955 1h 24m 8.0

When a toy manufacturer feels ignored and unappreciated by his wife and children, he begins to rekindle a past love when a former employee comes back into his life.

Captain Lightfoot

Captain Lightfoot

Douglas Sirk 1955 1h 32m 6.0

A pair of Irish rebels have swashbuckling adventures in 1815.

All That Heaven Allows

All That Heaven Allows

Douglas Sirk 1955 1h 29m 8.6

Friends and family want a rich widow (Jane Wyman) to end her romance with a tree surgeon (Rock Hudson) about 15 years her junior.

Taza, Son of Cochise

Taza, Son of Cochise

Douglas Sirk 1954 1h 19m

When peacemaking Apache chief Cochise dies, the Chiricahua Apaches are torn between following Cochise's peace loving son Taza and following the warlike renegade Apache warrior Geronimo.

Sign of the Pagan

Sign of the Pagan

Douglas Sirk 1954 1h 32m 5.0

With the Roman Empire divided, Attila the Hun hopes to conquer. In his way are a brave centurion, a beautiful princess...and Christianity.

Magnificent Obsession

Magnificent Obsession

Douglas Sirk 1954 1h 48m 8.3

Reckless playboy Bob Merrick crashes his speedboat, requiring emergency attention from the town’s only resuscitator while a local hero, Dr. Phillips, dies waiting for the life-saving device. Merrick then tries to right his wrongs with the doctor’s widow, Helen, falling in love with her in the process.

All I Desire

All I Desire

Douglas Sirk 1953 1h 20m 8.0

In 1910, a wayward mother re-visits the family she deserted.

No Room for the Groom

No Room for the Groom

Douglas Sirk 1952 1h 22m

Alvah, a young GI who happens to own a vineyard, elopes to Las Vegas with Lee, his housekeeper's daughter. But Alvah's chicken pox postpone the wedding night. The rest revolves around more delays to the consummation, caused by Lee's manipulative Mama and the flock of mostly obnoxious relatives with whom she's filled the house.

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

Douglas Sirk 1952 1h 28m 7.0

An aging heir-less millionaire wants to leave his fortune to the unsuspecting family of his first love but not before testing his prospective heirs by living with them under the guise of a poor boarder.

Thunder on the Hill

Thunder on the Hill

Douglas Sirk 1951 1h 24m 7.0

Sister Mary presides over a convent where a convicted murderess, who is being escorted to Death Row, is stranded by bad weather. She is slowly becoming convinced that Valerie is innocent so Sister Mary sets about to clear the girl and bring the real killer to justice.

Shockproof

Shockproof

Douglas Sirk 1949 1h 19m 7.0

A parole officer falls in love with the ex-con who was his charge.

Sleep, My Love

Sleep, My Love

Douglas Sirk 1948 1h 37m 6.0

A woman wakes up in the middle of the night on board a train, but she can't remember how she got there. Danger and suspense ensue.

Lured

Lured

Douglas Sirk 1947 1h 42m 7.0

Sandra Carpenter is a London-based dancer who is distraught to learn that her friend has disappeared. Soon after the disappearance, she's approached by Harley Temple, a police investigator who believes her friend has been murdered by a serial killer who uses personal ads to find his victims.

A Scandal in Paris

A Scandal in Paris

Douglas Sirk 1946 1h 40m 10.0

A smooth-talking French thief (George Sanders) wangles his way into an important position as prefect of police.

Summer Storm

Summer Storm

Douglas Sirk 1944 1h 46m 8.0

Linda Darnell plays a beautiful Russian peasant in this moody Sirk melodrama, based on Chekhov's "The Shooting Party." Trying to pull herself out of serf-ish poverty, she works her charms on an engaged aristocrat (George Sanders) with tragic results.

Boefje

Boefje

Douglas Sirk 1939 1h 34m

A twelve year old boy spends most of his time in the alleys, on rooftops and in the harbor of Rotterdam. A local clergyman takes pity on him and attempts to teach him good manners. At first the boy resists, but then takes up an interest in music.

Zu neuen Ufern

Zu neuen Ufern

Douglas Sirk 1937 1h 46m

In 1846 the actress Gloria Vane is performing at the Adelphi Theatre, London. She is in love with the destitute nobleman Albert Finsbury, who is shortly departing to Australia to become an officer in the Queen's regiment. He is supposed to pay his debts before leaving and uses an altered cheque to do so.

La Habanera

La Habanera

Douglas Sirk 1937 1h 38m 8.0

While vacationing in Puerto Rico, a young Swedish woman falls in love with and marries a powerful local landowner. Ten years later, their marriage has turned sour; meanwhile, two Swedish doctors have arrived on the island to investigate a mysterious fever.

Schlußakkord

Schlußakkord

Douglas Sirk 1936 1h 40m

After her husband dies, a German woman who gave up her infant for adoption to emigrate to America returns to Germany, discovering that her child is being raised by a married orchestra conductor.

Stützen der Gesellschaft

Stützen der Gesellschaft

Douglas Sirk 1935 1h 25m

A man comes back from America after years to find his reputation ruined.

Der eingebildete Kranke

Der eingebildete Kranke

Douglas Sirk 1935 36m

Adaptation of Molière's comedy "The Imaginary Invalid", about a hypochondriac, his doctor, his daughter and her lover.

Das Mädchen vom Moorhof

Das Mädchen vom Moorhof

Douglas Sirk 1935 1h 22m 8.0

In this Swedish romance, a strapping farm boy is betrothed to a pretty socialite. Unfortunately, he really loves a simple girl from the marsh. His engagement to the wealthy lass is broken after he gets into a barroom brawl. He is then able to marry the woman he really loves.

April, April!

April, April!

Douglas Sirk 1935 1h 22m

Businessman and shameless social climber, Julius Lampe, is subjected to a cruel April Fools’ Day prank when he is led to believe a noble prince intends to personally inspect his pasta factory.

Zwei Genies

Zwei Genies

Douglas Sirk 1934 34m

An early short film by Douglas Sirk (Detlef Sierck) which takes a satirical look at dubious business practices during the Weimar Republic. It was banned under the title "Zwei Genies" but released as "Zwei Windhunde" after revisions were made.

Dreimal Ehe

Dreimal Ehe

Douglas Sirk 1934 17m

A bickering husband and wife decide to go to a lawyer to get divorced. When in the office, they present their sides of the same story, of which they are wildly different.

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