Die Sehnsucht der Veronika Voss (1982)

 

Veronika Voss is a once prominent UFA actress, kept by her doctor, who raises suspicion in a sports journalist.

From memory: Beautifully photographed in black-and-white in exquisitely stylish sets, this melodrama follows the tragic fate of a former German movie star who can no longer find success in post-war Germany; Fassbinder clearly set this as homage to the actress Sybille Schmitz, who he admired, but also as a critique of the relentless German society after WWII.

Halliwell**: "Fascinatingly convoluted puzzle play with enough to say for a year of late-night discussions; but the bleached-out black and white photography is an unnecessary strain." 

Maltin***: "Interesting saga...Good, but not great, Fassbinder..."

Titanic (1943)

On its maiden voyage in April 1912, the supposedly unsinkable RMS Titanic hits an iceberg in the Atlantic Ocean.

Well-produced Nazi propaganda piece would be standard cinema entertainment of the time, but is marred by its subtle, but obvious political content.

Maltin**1/2: "Creditable disaster film, although the script is no more inspired than later versions of the saga."

[N.B. The film's original director was arrested during production after speaking out against the Nazi regime – he was later found hanged in prison – and the film was completed by Werner Klingler, who was not credited.
Although the film had a brief theatrical run in parts of German-occupied Europe starting in November 1943, it was not shown within Germany by order of Goebbels, who feared that it would weaken the German citizenry's morale instead of improving it. Goebbels later banned the playing of the film entirely, and it did not have a second run. Wikipedia]