jakob13 The New York Times has spoken long of Julien Duvivier. Does he deserve a retrospective? Yes, he indeed does. A good place for the English speaking world to begin is the 1938 'Great Waltz', with a grand cast of mainly European actors: Luise Reiner, Fernand Gravet, Miliza Korjus, Herman Bing, Sig Ruman, and the usual American character actors like Hugh Herbert and Leonid Kinsky and the British Lionel Atwill, who once played the lead opposite Marlene Dietrich in von Sternberg's 'The Devil is a Woman'. Is it too much to say in this sentimental, romanticized Hollywood rewriting of Strauss' life, with music and song and dancing and period costumes that it had something that we find in the UFA films Nazi Germany churned out with the likes of Zarah Leander. Grand fluff to distract the masses from the Great Depression and daily hardship and the gathering of war clouds in Asia and Europe. The year 1938 and the idealization of Vienna is an anachronism, for it was that very year that Hitler's troops annexed Austria to Germany. And the pogrom against Jews and leftists and anti Nazis began with the outcome we tragically came to know. It was Luise Reiner's first film, and she won the Oscar for best actress, which she well deserves as Poldi Strauss' wife. The contralto Korjus added great glamour and the argent clarity of her voice as the other woman. Gravat infused his Strauss with the fantasy of the musical genius he was, as the film had his inspiration say for Tales of the Vienna Woods and Blue Danube come into his mind as though they were generated spontaneously. And then Hollywood enlisted the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II to make sure our toes were tapping to the rhythm of the waltz...making everything so Gemutlich and coating the story with more sugar than necessary. Almost 78 years later, it's a grand, but silly film to watch.

aa56 This picture is mainly a showcase for the magnificent singing and trilling abilities of Gorgeous Korjus, although I wish she would have done more singing than trilling. That mischievous grin she often has during the film is captivating. The opening credits imply that the only three real characters in the film are Strauss, his mother, and Franz Josef (maybe Dommayer). They were merely used to develop this fictitious story about Strauss. There are a few tidbits of truth in it. Strauss Senior did want his son to be a banker, and there was a Dommayer establishment and an Austrian revolution in 1848.Strauss was married three times, but only one ended in divorce, so if he was a rake, he didn't marry and dump.I was disappointed that the wonderful tenor voice of George Houston (Fritz Schiller) was not used more in the film, and it is sad that his career did not advance more successfully before he passed away much too early.

froberts73 This is my all-time favorite musical. Second in line are the Busby Berkeley-Warner Bros. flicks of the '30s.A couple of tin-ear critics decried the arrangements and/or the Korjus singing. Fie on them and their errant poor taste.One critic, edwa green, I think, wondered why she never made any more movies. If he had done a little research he would have found out. Jeanette MacDonald was the big MGM draw and when she realized how successful Korjus was in this movie she told the studio if they used Korjus any more, she and her box office bucks would walk out.Tensaip (that should be minus the 'i') spent his writing time paralleling the story with Hitler's rise, a review that came complete with more than a hint of anti-Semitism. If the Jews bother you that much, scrap your teevee set.Gleywong, or something like that- probably grey wrong - decried Korjus with stupid digs at her singing. A few other critics had hissy fits because the story was more fiction than non. Wanna find out about Strauss? Read a book, or have someone read it to you.Got all that off my chest. I would like to ask one critic where he got a copy of the film. TCM doesn't even have it but, bless their hearts, they have scheduled it often.Now - Korjus is gorgeous in looks and vocally. Her singing was the highlight of the beautiful film. The music (arrangements) were pure beauty, the dance scenes unparalleled, and I even thoroughly enjoyed the Spike Jones-like music at the beginning.Gravet was handsome and convincing, Rainer was, as usual, cute and convincing. One reviewer was bothered by her. Obviously, he knows more than the folks who awarded her a couple of Oscars.To sum it up, and to quote Tony the Tiger --- "The Great Waltz" truly is grrreeeaaat. Okay critics, eat your cereal (use a fork, not a spoon) and be quiet.

Tony_7777 This movie is certainly for all hopeless romantics. The music is so infectious, and compelling! The acting was well done(in my opinion) by everyone in the movie itself. From Curt Bois on....! Not just the big hitters. My favorite is Luise Rainer's role as the neglected, faithful, (somewhat insecure) wife of Johann Strauss. She deserved so much more from her cad husband; that it makes one's heart identify with her terrible mistreatment. Miliza Korjus had one of the greatest female opera singer soprano voices that I've ever heard! (e.g., They'll come a time). One thing that intrigues me is the "font" that is used in the movie's written titles. Would anyone know or recognize the 'Font' style that was used in the movie's written titles? Thanks!