Films by Andrew Davies

2016, 208 min
by Markus Augé, Rieke Brendel, Andrew Davies, Jonas Niewianda, André Schäfer

THE GRAND LITERATOUR goes time-travelling with eight of the most enthralling authors in literary history.The series embarks on unique voyages intertwining both past and present: Heinrich Böll's Ireland, Hans Christian Andersen's Orient, the French Riviera with Erika and Klaus Mann, and Uwe Johnson’s New York – great authors on tour, grand literature tours. Travel literature is not just dusty descriptions of faraway places, it is intended for readers who are not only interested in visiting countries, but also experiencing the people, culture and mentality of the places. On no account do these travellers want to just be tourists.THE GRAND LITERATOUR rediscovers the travel journals of famous authors and the countries they visited anew. The series reveals how these countries have changed, whether what the travel writers once saw has now vanished or been forgotten, or how the places have grown and evolved over time.

Germany 2014, 225 min
by Andrew Davies, Benjamin Leers, Sebastian Lemke, Michael Schomers, André Schäfer

Amidst the urban jungle, hidden between deep concrete canyons, one can find one of the world’s most exclusive clubs. The Explorers Club in New York is the epicentre of the last heroes – it is the meeting place for the planet’s most distinguished explorers. 105 years ago, at the time when the club was first formed, travelling was arduous. Vast parts of the world were not yet mapped, and the world was full of adventure. The world has become a smaller place, hardly a patch is left that has not yet been mapped and travelled to. The greatest amazements appear to have been harvested. Today, adventure is to be found in the details. The 'how' is more important than the 'where'. The series THE EXPLORERS CLUB accompanies and features five modern explorers on their travels all over the world. Over the course of five episodes we explore the world, and let ourselves drift to all corners of the earth and open our eyes to the great unknown amongst the seemingly ordinary. Via exotic landscapes, sparse deserts and bleak and threatening ice, we follow these women and men on their journey, faraway from classic nature documentaries.

Germany 2012, 59 min
by Rieke Brendel, Andrew Davies

Margaret Rutherford’s true life story is much more eccentric than the most famous fictional role she ever played, her role of a lifetime. A role which appeared tailor-made for her: Miss Jane Marple – Agatha Christie’s amateur detective. In the four black and white interpretations of Agatha Christie’s international bestsellers, Rutherford wore her own costumes and put on her own make-up. Perhaps an indication of why Rutherford’s characterisation of Miss Marple has become so definitive, classic and unmistakeably English. In more than 40 films and over 100 stage plays, Oscar & Gold Globe winner Margaret Rutherford realised she possessed an incredible gift for timing and with this a natural talent for comedy. Secretly she always wanted to play Shakespeare’s Julia, but knew that with her idiosyncratic looks, jutting chin and portly figure she was just not destined to play romantic heroines. In fact, far more interesting roles lay ahead. Margaret Rutherford’s final resting place is in the cemetery at Gerrards Cross, where she shares a grave with Stringer Davis who passed away a year after his beloved wife. Her gravestone is inscribed with the words: DAME MARGARET TAYLOR RUTHERFORD - A BLITHE SPIRIT - a fitting epitaph because she really was that.

Germany 2011, 90 min
by Alma Barkey

On the hills above the city, a white villa embellished with decorative turrets and gables sits amidst a park surrounded by palm trees - an image from a fairytale. The “Hotel Oloffson” is a place steeped in history and numerous personal stories. Prominent foreign guests who have stayed here include actors Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando as well as Graham Greene, Truman Capote, Mick Jagger and Bill Clinton. From one of the building’s many balconies you can see the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince, where misery grew constantly over the past 60 years and which was devastated by the earthquake of January 2010. However, the legendary Hotel Oloffson wondrously survived the quake. During the day the Oloffson merely swelters in the heat, but as soon as the sun goes down, its guests along with wealthy Haitians meet for sundowners at the bar or the veranda and suddenly the hotel becomes alive. This documentary is a collection of anecdotes involving the hotel, its owner and guests and provides a snapshot of the everchanging history of Haiti in the 20th century.

Germany 2010, 90 min
by Andrew Davies, André Schäfer

Two reasons to revive interest in Rock Hudson in 2010: If he had not died of AIDS 25 years ago, it would have been his 85th birthday in November 2010. The film will be revealing a gay star doing a secret balancing act between the heterosexual world of an obviously very male looking star and the dark side of forbidden sexuality as a closeted gay. In fact someone who always needed to tell lies. Was he also lying to himself? German title: ROCK HUDSON – SCHOENER FREMDER MANN

Germany 2009
by Andrew Davies, André Schäfer

Doris Day, the most successful female box office star in the history of Hollywood, has written cinema history by simply playing Little Miss Average. She is still amongst us and celebrated her 85th birthday in 2009. Although she has not appeared in public for over thirty years, Doris Day is considered to be a cultural icon of the 20th and 21st century. The documentary will reflect the turbulent and successful life of Doris Day with extracts and trailers from some of her many feature films and TV appearances, in order to reveal the foibles and characteristics of her real life against the background of her screen and music life. A playful and tongue-in-cheek study of the fairytale career of Doris Day.