Starring Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, Miriam Hopkins, and Charles Ruggles
Directed by Ernest Lubistch
Music by Oscar Strauss; Lyrics by Clifford Grey
By 1931, musicals were out of fashion, and MacDonald had moved to Fox...but Chevalier remained one of Paramount's biggest stars, and Lubitsch their most popular director. Unlike many movies from this time that dropped their numbers, they felt confident enough to include five songs and borrow the plot from a popular European operetta, A Waltz Dream. Is this version also a dream, or should it be ignored by royalty? Let's begin with Lieutenant Niki von Preyn (Chevalier) in Vienna as he leads his troops and find out...
The Story: Niki is in love with Franzi (Colbert), the head of the all-female orchestra the Viennese Swallows. Niki tries to wink at her while standing with his troops during a parade honoring the visiting King of Flausenthurum (George Barbier), but it's intercepted by prim Princess Anna (Hopkins). Anna is offended at first, but Niki so charms her, she insists on marrying him. Niki, however, finds her pretty but too sheltered and continues his affair with Franzi. After Anna figures out what's going on, she insists on confronting her husband's mistress. Franzi can see she's crazy about him too, and ends up teaching her how to get a soldier to sit up and take notice.
The Song and Dance: For all the trouble they went through during filming - the leading ladies didn't get along, Chevalier just lost his beloved mother, the New York studios where they filmed were notoriously cramped, Lubitsch was in the midst of a messy divorce - the movie came out as one of the sexiest and most elegant souffles of the early talkie era. Lubitsch's touch comes through loud and clear, from the wink that starts the trouble to the final shot of Chevalier coming out of his bedroom after he witnesses Anna's transformation.
Chevalier radiates with charming touches of his own, including his reaction to Anna smoking and playing the piano after talking to Franzi. The leading ladies are each delightful, Hopkins innocent and charming, Colbert saucy and sensible. Despite the low-budget quarters, the costumes and sets are actually quite lavish and inventive, including a miniature train.
Favorite Number: Chevalier opens with his and his men's feelings on romance while on leave, "Toujours l'Amour In the Army." Niki serenades Franzi with "Live for Today" during their relationship before his unfortunate wink. They sing about their "Breakfast Table Love" as they continue their affair. He begs Anna to give him "One More Hour of Love." More worldly Franzi teaches sweet Anna how to get a man and really "Jazz Up Your Lingerie" in a lively and sassy duet.
Trivia: A French-language version with the same three leads came out in October 1931.
Paramount's biggest hit in 1931.
This was a lost film until a working print was discovered in Denmark in the early 90's.
What I Don't Like: The fluffy story hasn't dated that well. Nowadays, Niki can come off as a bit of a sexist jerk for abandoning Anna, no matter how charming he is. Frankly, he wasn't worth their tears later. There's also this being an early talkie. While more technically advanced than either The Love Parade or Monte Carlo, some parts can still feel a bit slow or stilted.
The Big Finale: Dated story aside, this charming confection is still highly recommended for fans of the three leads, Lubistch, or early sound cinema.
Home Media: Only on DVD as part of that Criterion Collection set with One Hour With You, Monte Carlo, and The Love Parade.
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