Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Lilian Harvey and the Song 'Je Suis Comme Ca'


Je Suis Comme Ca
(Das macht Baby alles nur aus Liebe)

Fox-Trot chante par Lilian harvey
dans le film "La Fille et le Garcon"
C'est un Parlant UFA

loose translation:
I'm like that
(Das macht alles nur aus Liebe Baby)

Fox-Trot sung by Lilian Harvey
in the movie "The Girl and Boy"
(name of the film company) UFA

unused, from 1931

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Lilian Harvey (January 19, 1906 — July 27, 1968) was a British-born actress and singer, long-based in Germany.

In 1924, she received her first role as the young Jewish girl "Ruth" in the film Der Fluch directed by Robert Land. Subsequently, she starred in many silent films.  Because of her training as a singer, Harvey was able to pursue a successful acting career during the initial talkie era of the early 1930s.

In 1931, Harvey starred in the film Der Kongreß tanzt; her song "Das gibt's nur einmal" was popular. Her subsequent movies were filmed in English and French versions, so Harvey became known outside of Germany. She was invited to Hollywood and made four movies for The Fox Film Corporation, but these were not as successful as her German films.

In 1935, she returned to Germany. However, because she was still in touch with her Jewish colleagues, she was placed under close observation by the Gestapo.

Harvey helped the choreographer Jens Keith escape to Switzerland; this led to her interrogation by the Gestapo, after which she left Germany, without her real-estate fortune, which was confiscated by the Nazis.
She settled in Juan-les-Pins in France. After the occupation of southern France, she emigrated to Hollywood again. Because she had performed for French troops, the Nazi regime withdrew her German citizenship in 1943.

Lilian Harvey died of liver failure on July 27, 1968 in Juan-les-Pins, France, aged 62.

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