The Three from the Filling Station
The Three from the Filling Station
| 15 September 1930 (USA)
The Three from the Filling Station Trailers

Die Drei von der Tankstelle, meaning The Three from the Gas Station, was advertised as a German operetta when release and with it’s star studded cast would become the forerunner of Musical films. Even today the soundtrack of the comic harmonists is popular in Germany.

Reviews
cynthiahost

This is definitely a good musical film classic from Germany' in 1930. Like the remake it's the same situation. But as with the remake of,"Blue Angel, the original one is the best. Three friends are broke so they decide to sell their car and run and open a gas station.Lillian Harvey shows up , as Lillian Cosman, teasing and taunting the three friends, played by Willy Fritz, Heinz Ruhamann, Oskar Karlwies. Lilian is the daughter of a big magnet played by Fritz Camper and had a girl friend , played by Olga Tschechowa.They all three find out that Lilian was teasing all three of them and this almost breaks up their friendship and business. What confused me ,cause I don't understand German that much, Is that Olga shows up offering a deal to the place they all agree but the next scene they still own the business but it's big now.It looks like that Kamper is offering to buy the business. Could it be that she was offering a loan approve by the company? This is confusing. Felix Bressahart, character actor who would later immigrate to the U. S. A. shows up as the person who takes the three mens furniture away. Everyone seems to be at ease compare to the ones that were made under Hitler.

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FilmCriticLalitRao

This is not a kind of film which your neighborhood Goethe Institut would like to screen for you.The reason is that in the past it was not at all considered an auteur film and as it was more of a song and dance film which according to cultural authorities would not appeal to serious film viewers.However with the passage of time the official status of this film has changed a lot and fortunately it is currently considered as one of the 100 most influential films of the rich history of German cinema.The film is a very nice comic tale of three men in love with a rich girl.This may sound trite but in 1930 when it was made there was hardly any current of such type of films.That is the reason why this film is really unique in the annals of German cinema.A great film to cheer you up when you feel complete lost and return home with a woebegone look on your face.

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andrabem

"Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (Three Good Friends) is really a charming film. It was released in 1930, so I guess it was filmed in 1929. As the Great Crash happened in 24th October of that year and the crisis effects would only be felt in Europe some months later, I think the film was not an answer to the Great Depression (but it could as well be). Germany, anyway since the end of the First World War lived in a state of permanent crisis, but as we know crisis can many times stimulate the creativity - see the German Expressionism and see also, for instance, "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" - Yeah! Art is not just Murnau, Fritz Lang etc.., it can be represented by a musical comedy like "Die Drei von der Tankstelle" (Three from the Gasoline Station)."Die Drei von der Tankstelle" tells the story of three rich friends that suddenly lose everything they have (this tastes like Depression!), including house, furniture and all, and have to work for the first time in their lives. They open a gasoline station and meet a girl that will conquer their three hearts. This intrigue will challenge their friendship. This is the basis of the story that is punctuated by hilarious gags and musical numbers. This is really a feel-good film, that at the same time is very creative and funny. The actors look like they are having lots of fun.Highly recommended! I don't understand why this film is not mentioned together with other great musical films. And pay attention: This is not just another film with an indifferent plot sprinkled with musical numbers - music and plot work very well together and the result is this charming film. Go for it!

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wlkrrch

Three good friends arrive home from vacation to discover they're bankrupt and the bailiff is about to strip their home of its contents. Left with just their car, they decide to open a gas station and it's then that they meet the lovely, blonde Lilian Cossmann - Lilian Harvey in one of her biggest hits. For such a very early talkie it's an astonishingly confident film, one of the first UFA 'operettas' yet with a contemporary, rather than period, setting. The Comedian Harmonists put in a guest spot as barbershop-style singing barmen, Olga Tschechowa appears in a supporting role and Werner Richard Heymann's marvelous music helps it all move along at a swift pace. This is a perennially popular Weimar-era German musical, and deservedly so.

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