"Waltzes from Vienna" is a highly fictionalized account of the life and career of Johann Strauss II. Oddly, however, it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock...someone you'd never expect to be helming a musical biopic!
The story is about the career of Johann Strauss II and how his career, oddly, was impeded by his father, the composer Johann Strauss. This is true, as oddly the man discouraged all this children from following in his footsteps. And, throughout the story, the father (Edmund Gwen) is a real jerk....and amazingly in real life he was MUCH worse. Read up on the guy...he was a fine piece of work and after abandoning his family, he did much to undermine his eldest son!
So is this film any good? Yes, it's not bad...even if some of the story elements seem very fictionalized. But it doesn't in any way feel like a Hitchcock film...and apparently he was not thrilled with the final product. I can only assume it's because the movie isn't much like his usual faire....even by 1934. So, if you watch it, don't expect murders or suspense....just a lot of tunes (most are heavily abbreviated aside from "The Blue Danube") and a love story that is mostly fluff. And, when the soprano is doing her solo early in the film, I suggest that could be a good time to go make a sandwich or use the bathroom as her singing, at least to me, was quite painful.
The story is about the career of Johann Strauss II and how his career, oddly, was impeded by his father, the composer Johann Strauss. This is true, as oddly the man discouraged all this children from following in his footsteps. And, throughout the story, the father (Edmund Gwen) is a real jerk....and amazingly in real life he was MUCH worse. Read up on the guy...he was a fine piece of work and after abandoning his family, he did much to undermine his eldest son!
So is this film any good? Yes, it's not bad...even if some of the story elements seem very fictionalized. But it doesn't in any way feel like a Hitchcock film...and apparently he was not thrilled with the final product. I can only assume it's because the movie isn't much like his usual faire....even by 1934. So, if you watch it, don't expect murders or suspense....just a lot of tunes (most are heavily abbreviated aside from "The Blue Danube") and a love story that is mostly fluff. And, when the soprano is doing her solo early in the film, I suggest that could be a good time to go make a sandwich or use the bathroom as her singing, at least to me, was quite painful.