Rapid Film was a German

film production Filmmaking (film production) is the process by which a motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, starting with an initial story, idea, or commission. It then continues through screenwriting, casti ...

company established by producer

Wolf C. Hartwig Wolf C. Hartwig (8 September 1919, Düsseldorf, Germany – 18 December 2017, Paris, France) sometimes credited as Wolfgang C. Hartwig and Wolfgang Hartwig, was a Germans, German film producer working in exploitation film, exploitation genres. C ...

. Based in

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...

, it operated from the late 1950s to the mid-1980s producing low-budget but commercially successful genre films. During the 1960s Rapid established a distribution arrangement with the leading German studio

Constantin Film The Constantin Film AG is a German mini-major film production and distribution company based in Munich. The company, which belongs to Swiss media conglomerate Highlight Communications AG, is a large independent German maker and distributor of pr ...

, and provided the company with many of its hit releases.Bergfelder p.84 During the 1970s Hartwig concentrated on producing sex comedies such as the Schoolgirl Report series. It should not be confused with a company of the same name owned by French producer

Bernard Natan Bernard Natan (born Natan Tannenzaft; 14 July 1886 – October 1942) was a French-Romanian film entrepreneur, director and actor of the 1920s and 1930s. Natan was deported to Auschwitz after the studio he owned went bankrupt, and his reputation ...

during the

silent era A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

Selected filmography

* ''

All the Sins of the Earth ''All the Sins of the Earth'' (german: Alle Sünden dieser Erde) is a 1958 West German drama film directed by Fritz Umgelter and starring Barbara Rütting, Ivan Desny Ivan Desny (born Ivan Nikolaevich Desnitskij; 28 December 1922 – 13 April ...

'' (1958) * '' Horrors of Spider Island'' (1960) * '' Final Destination: Red Lantern'' (1960) * ''

Satan Tempts with Love ''Satan Tempts with Love'' (german: Der Satan lockt mit Liebe) is a 1960 French-West German crime film directed by Rudolf Jugert and starring Belinda Lee, Joachim Hansen and Ivan Desny.Bergfelder p.211 It was known in France as Les port des ill ...

'' (1960) * ''

Island of the Amazons ''Island of the Amazons'' (german: Die Insel der Amazonen) is a 1960 West German adventure film directed by Otto Meyer and starring Adrian Hoven, Ann Smyrner and Jan Hendriks.Bergfelder p.211 In the United States it was released with the alterna ...

'' (1960) * ''

Between Shanghai and St. Pauli ''Between Shanghai and St. Pauli'' (German: ''Zwischen Schanghai und St. Pauli'', Italian: ''I rinnegati di Capitan Kidd'') is a 1962 West German-Italian crime adventure film directed by Roberto Bianchi Montero and Wolfgang Schleif and starring ...

'' (1962) * ''

The Hot Port of Hong Kong ''The Hot Port of Hong Kong'' or ''Hong Kong Hot Harbor'' (German: ''Heißer Hafen Hongkong'') is a 1962 Italian-West German crime film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Marianne Koch, Klausjürgen Wussow and Dominique Boschero.Bergfelder p. ...

'' (1962) * ''

Melody of Hate ''Melody of Hate'' (German: ''Haß ohne Gnade'') is a 1962 West German thriller film directed by Ralph Lothar and starring Maria Perschy, Horst Frank and Dietmar Schönherr.Bock & Bergfelder p.131 Cast * Maria Perschy as Claudia / Martina * Horst ...

'' (1962) * ''

The Black Panther of Ratana ''The Black Panther of Ratana'' (german: Der schwarze Panther von Ratana) is a 1963 West German-Italian adventure film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Marianne Koch, Heinz Drache, and Horst Frank. The film's sets were designed by the a ...

'' (1963) * '' Homesick for St. Pauli'' (1963) * ''

Storm Over Ceylon ''Storm Over Ceylon'' (german: Das Todesauge von Ceylon, it, Tempesta su Ceylon) is a 1963 adventure film directed by Gerd Oswald and Giovanni Roccardi and starring Lex Barker, Ann Smyrner and Magali Noël.Ritzer & Steinwender p.225 It was made ...

'' (1963) * ''

The Secret of the Chinese Carnation ''The Secret of the Chinese Carnation'' (german: Das Geheimnis der chinesischen Nelke, it, Il segreto del garofano cinese) is a 1964 German-Italian krimi eurospy film directed by Rudolf Zehetgruber and starring Paul Dahlke, Olga Schoberová, ...

'' (1964) * ''

Massacre at Marble City ''Massacre at Marble City'' (german: Die Goldsucher von Arkansas, french: Les chercheurs d'or de l'Arkansas, it, Alla conquista dell'Arkansas, released in U.K. as ''Conquerors of Arkansas'') is a 1964 German-French-Italian western film directed ...

'' (1964) * '' Coffin from Hong Kong'' (1964) * ''

A Handful of Heroes ''A Handful of Heroes'' (german: Eine Handvoll Helden) is a 1967 West German-Italian historical war film directed by Fritz Umgelter and starring Horst Frank, Valeria Ciangottini and Karlheinz Fiege.Klossner p.170 It is a remake of the 1930 film ...

'' (1967) * ''

Lotus Flowers for Miss Quon ''Lotus Flowers for Miss Quon'' (German: ''Lotosblüten für Miss Quon'') is a 1967 thriller film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Lang Jeffries, Francesca Tu and Werner Peters.Cowie p.73 Based on the 1961 novel '' A Lotus for Miss Quon'' by ...

'' (1967) * ''

Emma Hamilton Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), generally known as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becoming the mistress of a series of wealthy men ...

'' (1968) * '' Madame and Her Niece'' (1969) * ''

The Young Tigers of Hong Kong ''The Young Tigers of Hong Kong'' (German: ''Die jungen Tiger von Hongkong'') is a 1969 West German action film directed by Ernst Hofbauer and starring Robert Woods, Véronique Vendell and Werner Pochath.Bergfelder p.213 The film's sets were desi ...

'' (1969) * '' So Sweet... So Perverse'' (1969) * ''

Holiday Report ''Holiday Report'' (German: ''Urlaubsreport - Worüber Reiseleiter nicht sprechen dürfen'') is a 1971 West German comedy film directed by Ernst Hofbauer and starring Sybil Danning, Astrid Frank and Werner Abrolat.Bergfelder p.225 It was produced ...

'' (1971) * ''

Nurse Report ''Nurse Report'' (German: ''Krankenschwestern-Report'') is a 1972 West German comedy film directed by Walter Boos and starring Doris Arden, Ingrid Steeger and Karin Heske. It was a sex report film produced by Wolf C. Hartwig Wolf C. Hartwig (8 ...

'' (1972) * ''

The Disciplined Woman ''The Disciplined Woman'' (german: Die dressierte Frau) is a 1972 West German comedy film directed by Ernst Hofbauer and starring Astrid Frank, Esther Konrad and Heimo van Borg.Daisne p.203 Cast * Astrid Frank as Gudrun * Esther Konrad * Heimo ...

'' (1972) * ''

The Girl from Hong Kong ''The Girl from Hong Kong'' (German: ''Das Mädchen von Hongkong'', UK theatrical title: ''Circle of Fear'') is a 1973 West German action film directed by Jürgen Roland and starring Joachim Fuchsberger, Li Paelz and Véronique Vendell.Bock & Berg ...

'' (1973) * ''

No Gold for a Dead Diver ''No Gold for a Dead Diver'' (german: Ein toter Taucher nimmt kein Gold) is a 1974 West German adventure film directed by Harald Reinl and starring Horst Janson, Monika Lundi and Marius Weyers.Bock & Bergfelder p. 390 A thriller about deep sea ...

'' (1974) * ''

Cross of Iron ''Cross of Iron'' (German: ''Steiner – Das Eiserne Kreuz'', lit. "Steiner – The Iron Cross") is a 1977 war film directed by Sam Peckinpah, featuring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason and David Warner. Set on the Eastern Front ...

'' (1977) * ''

Breakthrough Breakthrough or break through may refer to: Arts Books * ''Break Through'' (book), a 2007 book about environmentalism by Ted Nordhaus and Michael Shellenberger * ''Break Through'' (play), a 2011 episodic play portraying scenes from LGBT life * ...

'' (1979)

References

Bibliography

* Bergfelder, Tim. ''International Adventures: German Popular Cinema and European Co-Productions in the 1960s''. Berghahn Books, 2005. German film studios Film production companies of Germany {{film-company-stub