Something for Everyone

Plot synopsis:
A handsome young stranger, Konrad Ludwig, is fascinated by a castle near the Bavarian village of Ornstein. He dreams of owning and living in the castle, which is the property of widowed Countess Herthe von Ornstein, who lives in the dower house, unable financially to open and live in her castle.
As Konrad schemes to become one of the countess's servants he romances a beautiful and wealthy young lady, Anneliese Pleschke, daughter of a nouveau riche couple. The idea is to use their wealth to reopen Castle Ornstein. After an afternoon of chauffeuring the Pleschkes around the countryside, he gets Rudolph, the countess's footman, drunk at the local Biergarten and then run over by a train. Konrad then takes Rudolph's place in the countess's household.
Helmuth, a shy and attractive young man, and Lotte, a plain and annoying girl, are the countess's children. Helmuth is gay and begins to be romanced by Konrad when the stern majordomo Klaus tries to put a stop to it by firing Konrad. Klaus, though, has a scandalous secret: his father was a Nazi colonel, whose memory is fondly enshrined in Klaus's bedroom. The mayor of Ornstein is militantly disposed to root out all Nazis remaining in Germany, and Konrad tells him about Klaus, who is summarily and quietly put out of the countess's employ. Konrad is free to be Helmuth's lover while taking Klaus's place as majordomo.
Konrad now plays up to the countess, encouraging her to throw a daring, expensive party at the dower house in order to initiate a pseudo romance between Helmuth and Anneliese Pleschke. Konrad, the lover of both Helmuth and Anneliese, induces them to become engaged to each other while secretly assuring both of them that he would always be there at the castle. When the marriage contract is signed, the Pleschke money flows in to reopen and refurbish the Castle Ornstein.
The marriage takes place, but the honeymoon is a disaster with both the bride and groom wanting an annulment. The demise of the grand design is hastened along by Anneliese, who walks in on Konrad and Helmuth kissing. Anneliese shocked and speechless is ushered to the limousine in which she and her parents are to be driven to the castle by Konrad. When Anneliese hysterically opens up to her parents, Konrad turns the limousine down a steep embankment, managing to jump out before it crashes, killing Anneliese and her parents. Konrad escapes with a broken leg.
Konrad goes through a pleasant convalescence with the countess herself becoming his new romantic interest. After an amorous night in the countess's boudoir, they plan to be married. Helmuth is devastated. He reluctantly allows the marriage to go on rather than have Konrad be forced to leave by a scorned countess.
Helmuth's sister Lotte has other plans. On the eve of the wedding she informs Konrad that she knows all about his murderous and scandalous exploits. Ingeniously she avoids being Konrad's next victim and has him marry her instead of her mother.

Tags: comedy, fantasy, murder, plot twist

Review:
My #1 Guilty Pleasure Movie of All Time.
This movie tickled me to the bone.I can laugh decades later just thinking about Angela Lansbury greedily but daintily scarfing down strawberries.Michael York is infinitely sexy and sinister at the same time.
Just the memory of his performance gives me goosebumps.Everyone in the cast is such a juicy distinctive being and such fun to watch.It seems funny ranking this movie up there with Citizen Kane as one of the greatest movies of all time, but in terms of sheer enjoyment, for me, it ties with Cabaret (another Michael York movie) as #1..
I haven't seen this movie in a long time.
If you weren't that lucky, let me tell you, when Angela Lansbury appeared on screen about to board a train in her white satin traveling suit and matching (stewardess-style) cap, there was a collective gasp from the audience--admittedly mostly gay men.
And you never saw anything like it again until Dynasty in the 80s.Furthermore, Jane Carr utters one of the best lines in all of cinema history: "There's nothing like a bit of pre-breakfast chocolate cake."The movie is pitch perfect, and I'd say required viewing for gay people, even though that theme is a small part of the movie.
Angela Lansbury as a decadent noblewoman, glaring out into her shaky future is nothing short of sensational.
One of the most entertaining performances ever put on film.
She has to overcome two massive obstacles, wooden Michael York as a co-star and Broadway legend Harold Prince as her "film" director.
Deliciously wicked, seldom-seen black comedy that really shows off Michael York and Angela Lansbury..
In fact, while the Britisher is bicycling through Austria, he sees the very castle described in the fairy tale picture book his mother gave him when he was young, and that he now carries with him at all times.
But in the hands of director Hal Prince, this darkly comic tale takes another direction altogether.
Michael York plays the clever, enigmatic young opportunist who is willing to seduce, charm, outmaneuver, even murder whoever he has to in order to become "king of the castle."The afore-mentioned domain is inhabited by none other than the Countess Von Ornstein (the wonderfully eccentric Angela Lansbury) and her brood.
But with a homosexual son and chubby, homely young teenage daughter left to carry on the family dynasty, prospects look truly abysmal.To say any more would be a dastardly move on my part.
Director Prince takes full advantage as well of the breathtaking Bavarian landscape.York, as Konrad, has seldom had a meatier role as he first becomes a footman to the castle, then proceeds to eliminate all the other human elements that interfer with his rise to the social top.
Lansbury steals every scene she is in, while given a number of deliciously wry monologues to remind viewers that the Jessica Fletcher character she played in "Murder She Wrote" was a popular move but a real step down.
Jane Carr, who the year before gave a touching, timorous performance as the ill-fated student in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," does a 100% turnaround here as the dry, sardonic "plain Jane" daughter who is wise to York's game from the very start.
And Anthony Higgins as the smitten gay son and Heidelinde Weis as an amorous young heiress are quite effective as two of Konrad's romantic pawns."Something for Everyone" definitely HAS something for everyone.
Now, when I look at my $199.00 Sony HD video pocket camcorder I think back to how times have changed.This movie is such a classic I am surprised that it is ignored by TCM, the Independent Film Channel and every other cable movie channel out there.
The rant by Angela Lansbury after the party is one of her greatest scenes and I show it to everyone young person who think they know all there is to know about her.
A beautiful, black, wry, comic fairy tale..
Hal Prince's Something For Everyone is perhaps one of the most looked over American classics of the 70's.
Prince's theatrical touch can be felt and lends a strong hand in the telling of the tale and keeping tight reigns on what could easily have become an out-of-control experience (i.e., "Happy Birthday, Gemini"), a taut, thrillingly wry comedy  one of the best of its type.
Combining the fantasy of fairy tale with the social repression and economic dire straits of a Post-II World II Bavaria the film provides a vastly entertaining (and darkly hilarious) look into subject matters verboten at the time of the tale including the Nazi issue, social pariahism, class distinction and sexual appetite.The dichotomy between classes has never been more closely paralleled in film:  on one hand there is the starving, eager and willing to do anything young Konrad (Michael York) and on the other the Countess von Ornstein  she of by gone nobility.
Lansbury's Countess is priceless and she plays it with an unlikely combination of superego and hopeless despair  and she is brilliant.
With nazis hiding in the woodwork, sexual weaponry, misplaced romantic feelings, murder, social climbing combining with delicious Bavarian countryside, castles, beer gardens, stunning mountain vistas and even Wagnerian opera, Prince gives us a fairy tale gone wrong.
This is one of only two movies directed by multi-Tony winning Broadway (and opera) director Hal Prince and redeems him for the ghastly film adaptation of his brilliant stage work on Stephen Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.
Angela Lansbury is beautiful and brilliant as a penniless countess who is desperate to save her beloved Schloss - played in part (the Schloss, that is) by one of Mad Ludwig's castles whose construction costs bankrupted Bavaria.
Other reviewers have commented on the Machiavellian plot, with Michael York charming and subversive as the upwardly mobile manservant.
Black humor with clever dialogue, beautiful sets and costumes and fine performances all around.
For some reason, in its theatrical release, it was NOT, in fact, "for everyone", but this movie is long overdue for release on DVD and deserves to be seen by a wider audience..
The wit and glinting malice of this film, combined with stellar performances by Michael York, Angela Lansbury and the completely delectable Jane Carr, keep it as fresh as the day it was released.
Angela at her Best, Michael York at his most interesting.
Angela Lansbury wonderfully typlifies the aristocracy that existed at the end of WW II..and someplaces, even today...at least in some people's minds.York's character, Konrad, is both charming and convincingly conniving doing whatever he has to do to achieve his goal.
Her struting, expressions and attitude make the basic point of the film more obvious and comedic.York is as smilingly disarming as the rouge as Matt Damon was in "Ripley --".
Hal Prince's talent direction is wonderful, but either the camera direction or editing is somewhat ordinary at times.Music theme is by John Kandor (Kandor-Webb who created "New York, New York" and "Cabaret")is fun, memorable and perfect for the film's style time and content.
However, I wished Hal Prince had him underscore the film....at times the film is slow and needs some mood music."Something for Everyone" is an overseen classic - storywise and performance wise.
York too told me he loved the character and the story and like me, wished the film got more notice..
This celebrated black comedy from 1970 marked the directorial debut of legendary Broadway producer Harold Prince.
It has justly earned cult status and a devoted following due, in great part, to Angela Lansbury's remarkable virtuoso performance.
She has flawless support from the delectable Michael York, a very seductive young Anthony Corlan, and gifted Jane Carr.Against a picture-perfect Bavarian backdrop, Konrad (York) rides into town sporting the sexiest legs ever seen in cycling shorts.
He quickly 'arranges' (and therein lies the fun) a job as footman to the impoverished Countess von Ornstein (Lansbury), focusing his attentions on her beautiful, lonely son Helmut (Corlan).
She has Konrad's number right off the bat, though, and asks him which he is, murderer or pervert.
His response is congenial and commendably candid.Simultaneously, Konrad dupes a snobbish, social-climbing family, debauching their beautiful, lonely daughter.
The end, with several clever twists, bears mercilessly down upon poor Konrad.The talent and beauty of Michael York and Anthony Corlan notwithstanding, the film belongs to Angela Lansbury.
Few actors could pull off such theatrical monologues as she does, with the command of Callas incarnating Tosca.Mr. Prince underscores the operatic nature of his story by introducing Wagner early in the film.
A masterpiece of humour with splendid performances by Angela Lansbury, Michael York and a very competent (and well-directed) cast, remains a classic of the genre.
I still keep the movie's VHS incarnation (very poor quality though).Therefore, I was glad to read that a DVD version had been launched in Spain and ordered it.
Angela Lansbury was superb.
I've never been an Angela Lansbury fan (except for The Manchurian Candidate and Gaslight), but she's finally perfectly cast and Michael York actually had a persona back then (two years before Cabaret) and gave some interesting performances in the 1970's.I imagine this is available on DVD and video.
I have the crappiest postage stamp sized conversion to DVD of this movie.
I too include this film as a guilty pleasure, not because it is inferior, but because it is decadent and so good.
It had Angela Lansbury, who was in the Manchurian Candidate (pulled by Sinatra for years, I've heard), and Michael York.
I've always thought this movie and Cabaret made a great double bill.
I guess I will consider myself lucky to at least have a copy, until a proper DVD comes to market..
A subversive happy-ever-after comedy directed by the famed Broadway director Harold Prince, who has only directed 2 pictures for the celluloid.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE stars a fresh-faced Michael Fork as a twenty-some stripling Konrad Ludwig, insinuates his way into the family of widowed Countess Herthe von Ornstein (Lansbury), whose financial situation is running on empty in spite of owning a Mittel-European castle, which, curtailed by an inheritance entail, is prohibited to sell.
Throughout the whole movie, audience has no inkling of his past, like a tabusa rasa, he pops up from nowhere, and miracle comes about around him just like the butterfly of a rare species landing on his hand in the opening, he can always find "something for everyone", a miracle worker indeed, but morbidly, with a tendency of homicide if he sees fit.
Soon Konrad incubates a scheme to bring affluence and glory back to the castle, through a marriage arrangement between Herthe's son Helmuth (a wiry and delectable Higgins) and Anneliese (Weis), the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Pleschke (Gill and Meineke respectively), a nouveau riche couple salivating for aristocratic luxury.
But there is a catch, both Helmuth and Anneliese are Konrad's lovers (and clearly he has a preference), the aftermath of their disastrous honeymoon drives Konrad's plan to an almost breaking point, but thankfully, the marriage is official and money is secured, so it is just a matter of dispensing with those unwelcome nuisances, between the patrician and the parvenu, it is a cinch to guess when side Prince/Konrad is inclined to choose by thinking on their feet.
Konrad's star is rising, he cannot get a break, Herthe is swept off her feet eventually, a marriage proposal, however scandalous, is propounded, and he is in no place to decline, in the final twist, there is someone in the upper crust finally can give Konrad a good run for his money, it is neither the self-involving Herthe, nor the effete Helmuth, but a cherubic lass who sees through Konrad's trickery and ploys, and gets what she always want through blackmail without hazarding her own safety, now we are talking about a film truly merits a sequel treatment.Angela Lansbury entrancingly flaunts royal poise and rhetoric, a facade she nails on the stage but rarely opens to his film audience, and Michael York, is such a unique leading man, angular, confident, charisma-oozing, and the pride in his eyes is undiminished.
As a comedy ruthlessly sends up a morally conscious society, this little-seen picture is a blast from the past, and worth being dusted off to, at the very least, give a scare to the prim, proper and prudish..
Michael York (Konrad) has a fantasy.
Does his fantasy play out as planned.er, no Angela Lansbury plays the once wealthy Countess who lives in the castle along with her son Anthony Higgins (Helmuth) and daughter Jane Carr (Lotte).
The family needs money to survive and York has an idea for this.
The film is set in Austria/Germany and this provides interesting landscapes and a slice of village life.
Wolfried Lier (Klaus) plays the butler with a secret and there are also good performances from Eva Maria Meineke and Heidelinde Weis as a wealthy mother and daughter who get lured into York's plans.It's a dark story with twists and turns and the film keeps you guessing as to what York is going to do next.
I find York slightly creepy in a Prince Edward sort of way but he plays his part well.
Handsome young MICHAEL YORK is a drifting social climber who takes advantage of an impoverished Countess (ANGELA LANSBURY) and her underwhelming family--a plain daughter and a homosexual son--using them for his own twisted needs to become the Prince Charming of a Bavarian castle.Directed with finesse by Harold Prince, it's a dark comedy that abounds with wit and a never ending series of complications that ensue when York manipulates and charms his way into everyone's affections.
ANGELA LANSBURY did not even mention this film during a one hour session with Robert Osborne on TCM recently, but it has to be among her best work.It raised eyebrows but failed to connect with whomever the target audience was back in the '70s and became a favorite among the art house crowd for obvious reasons.
Rampant with sexual implications, it's way ahead of its time and would probably do better box-office business in today's more accepting world of oddball themes..
See Michael York and Angela Lansbury eat lots of schnitzel..
Odd, odd, odd film about lowly servant boy Michael York employing Machiavellian means to improve his status in the household of an aristocratic German family headed by widowed matriarch Angela Lansbury.
Famed Broadway director/producer Hal Prince directed this baroque mixture of fairy tale and black comedy and it does possess some rather theatrical elements:  eccentric, showy characters and ornately stylized sets and costumes.
I guess this is meant to suggest a place isolated from the rest of the world, a place where the past, present, and future are commingled (like in fairy tales).Some good characterizations:  Lansbury is, as always, excellent.
She presents the perfect portrait of refined, snobbish nobility, whether looking down her nose at a nouveau riche couple that wants to buy her family's castle or haughtily dismissing the topic of Nazis from dinner-table conversation (because Nazis are, you know, uncultured).
Jane Carr is funny as Lansbury's frumpy, intellectually precocious daughter, delivering her lines with a knowing irony.Bizarre curio of a movie that's worth a look (even if only for the scene where Lansbury sashays around the living room in bell-bottoms)..
YOU WON'T FORGET THIS FILM FOR A LONG TIME..
hal prince tried to carry "cabaret" over in this one.
It has many of the touches Hal Prince is known for onstage including the marvelous Angela Lansbury.
It attempts to set the sexual ambiguities of "Cabaret" in a small Bavarian village.
Harold Prince's black comedy "Something for Everyone" casts Michael York as a man who goes to work for fallen Bavarian aristocrat Angela Lansbury, not refraining from doing what he wants to in order to take over the estate.
By extension the movie comes across as a look at how Europe's old aristocracy was forced to accept the new realities of the post-war era.
No longer would the aristocracy get seen as the most virtuous entity of all (although we all saw the hoopla over William & Kate's wedding, and then their baby).Aside from that, it's a pretty funny movie.
Not the funniest movie, but worth seeing.
It's apparently available on DVD, but I could only find a VHS copy..
Loved this movie!.
The scenery is lovely and who doesn't like a setting involving an old Austrian castle with a wealth starved nobility striving for former glory.
well the plot is just perfect!Angela Lansbury and Michael York hats of to you for a magnificent performance!.
Dark comedy, "suggested by" Harry Kressing's novel "The Cook", has opportunist Michael York worming his way into the lives of the eccentric, cash-strapped family living in a weathered German castle, at first by gaining employment there as a footman.
York is exceptional as the shameless Conrad, who uses his charm to beguile everyone around him, but Angela Lansbury is too beautiful, too vital to be convincing as a dowager Countess (one can imagine this curvy lady having her pick of any eligible man in the country).
Still, Lansbury's fluttery flamboyance, which the Countess seems to put on--like a costume, for show--is colorful and amusing, while theatre director Harold Prince oversees the proceedings with knowing wit and self-assurance.
Michael York insinuates himself into a family of decaying royals and proceeds to wreak havoc.
Countess Angela Lansbury figures out York's game early on & decides he's just what she and her hapless brood needs.
One grotesque deception after another ensues as York attempts to have Lansbury's homosexual son (Anthony Higgins) married off to a wealthy débutante he himself is bedding.
Directed by Hal Prince (the great stage director making his film debut), this movie is an intriguing curiosity.
York is excellent and Lansbury is great as a bitter yet entirely realistic wreck.
Jane Carr is very funny as Lansbury's bitchy and extremely sharp daughter and Wolfried Lier is York's unlucky predecessor (a former Nazi who is disposed of rather quickly).