A Mad Idea or A Crazy Idea () is a 1932 German comedy film directed by Kurt Gerron and starring Willy Fritsch, Dorothea Wieck and Rosy Barsony. It was made by UFA, Germany's biggest studio. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin. The film's art direction was by Julius von Borsody. Location shooting took place around St. Moritz in Switzerland. It is based on the 1887 play A Mad Idea by Carl Laufs.

Synopsis

Penniless Munich-based painter Paul Lüders goes to stay at his uncle's castle in the Swiss Alps. His equally impoverished uncle has gone to England in order to try and sell the property to a wealthy English acquaintance Miller. A series of misunderstandings lead to Paul renting out the various rooms as if it were a hotel, including a large booking by the Miller Girls, a dance troupe led by the impresario Theo Müller. Further confusion arises when Paul mistakes Müller's daughter Evelyn for the daughter of the wealthy Englishman. The real daughter Mabel also turns up, as does Paul's ex-girlfriend Anita. Despite the mix-ups, the hotel is now so successful his uncle abandons the idea of selling it.

A Mad Idea

Cast

Willy Fritsch as Paul Lüders

Dorothea Wieck as Mabel Miller

Rosy Barsony as Anita

Max Adalbert as Birnstiel

Jakob Tiedtke as Michael Lüders

Harry Halm as Bob

Heinz Salfner as Herr Miller

Leo Slezak as Theo Müller, Manager der Miller Girls

Ellen Schwanneke as Evelyn Müller

Wilhelm Bendow as Wendolin

Fritz Odemar as Werner Schubart

Genia Nikolaieva as Marga Schubart

Gerda Bunnemann

Aenne Goerling as Minna

Paul Hörbiger as Emil

Ferdinand Hart

Theo Lingen as Oberkellner

Adele Sandrock as Mieterin

Oskar Sima as Steuer-Inspektor

Leopoldine Konstantin

Klaus Pohl as Schneider

Gustav Waldau

References

Bibliography

External links

1932 films

Films of the Weimar Republic

German comedy films

1932 comedy films

1930s German-language films

Films directed by Kurt Gerron

Films scored by Bronisław Kaper

German multilingual films

UFA GmbH films

Films shot in Switzerland

Films set in Switzerland

Films set in Munich

German black-and-white films

1932 multilingual films

1930s German films

Films shot at Babelsberg Studios

A Mad Idea